


Heart of the Ship

by CartoonJessie



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Adventure, F/M, Fantasy, Fluff, Pirate AU, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-16
Updated: 2017-08-07
Packaged: 2018-03-23 06:43:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 39
Words: 103,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3758317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CartoonJessie/pseuds/CartoonJessie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the pleasure cruise her father holds for her on her twenty-first birthday, princess Belle runs into a dark and mysterious pirate. In order to save her family’s life, she sacrifices her freedom and willingly goes to live with him aboard his ship. Terrified of what he might do to her, she slowly learns that the pirate might not be so beastly after all... And even though Rumpelstiltskin feels guilt for ripping her away from her family, he can not afford to let her go. She is the last piece of the puzzle. Only with the beautiful princess by his side can he finally find a way back to his long-lost son Baelfire...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Stranger in the Water

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking an interest in this story! It is one I am extremely proud of and probably the Rumbelle fanfic I've spent most time on. I've been working on it for years already and I can't wait to share it with all of you on AO3!
> 
> I have also had some art commissioned for this fanfic, and some bits of art I have made myself, and you'll sometimes see those in chapters here and there... I hope you can enjoy both the story and the artwork and that you'll stick around. Updates to this story should come about once a week, so be sure to bookmark it if you don't want to miss out on the next installment!

The only thing that would have made Belle’s day even better, was a more turbulent ocean.   
But the water was peacefully calm as she stood by the railing of the large ship, gazing out over the horizon, waiting for the view of her father’s castle to disappear from sight. Once that happened, she would be further from her home than she had ever been before.  
"Are you liking your birthday gift, sweetheart?"  
Belle looked to her side, where her father was beaming proudly as he smiled at her.   
"Oh, papa, it’s wonderful!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him as they hugged, but when she pulled back, she pouted, as though she was a small child asking for more candy. "But can’t we just go sailing for longer than a day? For a week? Or a month?"  
Maurice chuckled at his daughter’s enthusiasm.   
"I believe you have been reading too many novels about pirates, my dear. Life aboard a ship isn’t as romantic or heroic as you’d think it to be. It’s hard work, the food is horrible, and it’s the worst place to be when you get sick. Not to mention that encounters with pirates are quite terrifying…"  
"I’d love to see some pirates," she sighed dreamily as she looked into the water again.  
A deep voice interrupted their conversation, and Belle immediately turned her head to stare at Gaston, the tall knight who was one of her father’s favorites, though Belle failed to see why.   
"I doubt you’d enjoy it very much, princess." His voice was as dry and bored as Belle felt whenever he was near. "The things they do to women are unspeakable. You’d probably survive longer than most of the men aboard this ship, but you wouldn’t have it better off."  
She gulped, finding this topic of discussion a bit too grave for her birthday party. Her father noticed and he laughed nervously.   
"Well, good thing we’re not going far from the shores of Navarre. We’re just sailing towards Avonlea, so that Belle can see their golden palace."  
Belle smiled brightly at the idea.  
For the first twenty-one years of her life, she had not left Navarre. Most days, she had not even left the palace. But after years of complaining and asking her father to let her travel a bit, he had finally given in. Now, for her twenty-first birthday, she was allowed to travel the seas - if only for one day - and it was the best gift Belle could have imagined. She had expected some new books or a fancy dress, but this was so much better.   
When the captain called her to the helm, she could not contain her excitement and she lifted the skirt of her golden ball gown as she made her way up the wooden stairs towards the captain, who chuckled because of her enthusiasm.   
"You’ve got some fine sea legs, princess Belle, if you don’t mind me saying," he said while he tipped his hat. "How about you take the helm for a few moments?"  
"I’d love that!"  
It was an amazing feeling to Belle - guiding the course of an entire ship - watching over all of the crew and overseeing their hard labor so the ship would sail smoothly - and there was something incredibly peaceful about the rocking of the waves. It was something she could get used to, and she regretted that the afternoon was passing so quickly. Before she’d know it, she’d be back in the palace, and then she’d still long for the ocean and the adventures that lay there for the taking.   
When she heard Gaston clear his throat behind her, an anxious feeling came over her, and when she turned to look at him, she noticed he looked graver than he ever had before.  
"Could we have a word, princess?"  
Belle hesitated. She’d rather be at the helm for the rest of the day, but as she saw her father watching them, she knew he’d find it incredibly rude if she denied him her time.   
"Of course," she said with disappointment in her eyes as she looked at the captain and he took the helm from her again.   
"Follow me," Gaston said, and he offered her his arm, which she took with a reluctant expression on her face.  
He led her to the front of the ship, where they had quite a spectacular view, and it was then that Belle suddenly realized what he was going to do: his formal tone, the way her father was watching them from afar but holding back at the same time, the grave gaze in the eyes of the knight and everything about the setup of this moment told Belle one thing: _he was going to ask her to marry him._

Belle hardly registered the words coming from Gaston’s mouth. As far as she was concerned her life was over now. Gaston started talking about what a fine woman she had become, and when he suddenly went down on one knee in front of her, she stared at him with a forbidding look, hoping he’d take back what he was saying.  
Looking around her, as though something could help her out of this situation, she desperately gazed into the water, and what she saw there was exactly what she needed.  
“Man overboard!” she suddenly shouted as Gaston had started asking her to be his wife. “Over there!” she cried out as she walked to the railing and pointed to the stranger in the water.  
Though Gaston’s ego was bruised, he did not immediately show it and ran over to the railing as well, suddenly shouting commands to the sailors and ordering them to get the stranger aboard.  
The man in the water was holding onto a large log, his head resting on the wood. Belle noticed there was strength in his hands, and even while his light-brown hair stuck to his face, it could not hide his dark, wide open eyes as he looked at her – and her alone – as though he was unable to believe she was real.  
Belle’s heart was pounding in her throat, but she felt immense gratitude for the skinny, small man they lifted out of the water. If ever she had believed in fate, then it was now. He had come to save her from her marriage to Gaston – to save her from the end of her life.  
As a few sailors laid him down on the deck, the princess rushed to their sides and looked at the stranger. He was wearing a white cotton shirt and brown trousers – no shoes or further clothes – and Belle instantly knelt by his side to wipe the wet hair from his face.  
Seeing how he was blinking gently, Belle bent a little closer.  
“Are you alright, sir?”  
His brown eyes betrayed his confusion. Maybe he was not so confused about being rescued, but it looked like Belle’s kindness was new to him, and when he suddenly smiled, it lit up his entire face.  
“I am now,” he replied in a soft tone, his hand grabbing Belle’s as she was holding onto his shirt and she could not help but find his hand warm and strong – even if he had been fished out of an ice-cold ocean. He beckoned for her to lean in closer, and she willingly obliged.  
“I once saw you in a dream,” he admitted softly, his voice hardly more than a whisper, even though Belle knew that the sailors and Gaston were listening as intently as she was. “I had never thought I’d meet you today, of all days…”  
The man looked so happy to see her that Belle’s heart fluttered in joy, even if it seemed unlikely that he was actually speaking the truth. After all: how could he have seen her in a dream? She was certain that they had never met before.  
“Get this man to a cabin,” Gaston ordered. “We’ll have him see a doctor once we reach the shore tonight. He is ruining the princess’s birthday.”  
Belle’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he spoke those words.  
“Excuse me?” she said in an offended tone. “This man is _not_ ruining my birthday, Gaston. We just saved this man’s life. How could _that_ ruin my day? I have no intention of simply celebrating while there could be other people out there that need my help.”  
Realizing something as she spoke those words, she turned to the stranger again, who seemed to have eyes for her only, and had a mysterious smile on his face.  
“What happened?” she wondered. “Were you alone?”  
He simply nodded, his lips still curled up pleasantly.  
“I was, _princess_ ,” he replied gently. “You need not worry about other victims in these waters. My ship was old. That was all.”  
It brought great joy to Belle to hear that no one had died, and relief washed over her face as she smiled at him.  
“Good,” Gaston said quickly, with the intent to make their conversation as brief as possible. “Then we can continue the festivities now. Escort this man to his cabin.”  
Both Belle and the man looked offended when the sailors grabbed him by his shoulders and pulled him to his feet.  
“Why is that your decision to make?” Belle argued, turning to Gaston with a frown on her face. “It’s my birthday, and I don’t want him locked up in a cabin.”  
The knight’s annoyed look matched hers. “Princess, if we are to marry, then you should leave these matters to me. You hold no authority over the men on this vessel. _I do._ And I will do what it takes to keep you safe.”  
There were numerous things in what he said that ticked Belle off. Mostly that he assumed they were to marry. But also that he considered this poor, small man a threat.  
“Well we are _not_ to marry, and so I _won’t_ leave these matters to you,” she replied harshly, and she heard her father’s dramatic gasp from the deck above them.  
Gaston’s face turned red, though Belle could not tell if it was from anger or embarrassment.  
“Does that mean I get to stay for the birthday party?” the stranger suddenly asked, a giggle leaving his mouth as he looked at the knight, but the words had hardly left his mouth, or Gaston pulled his sword in a fit of anger and swung it towards the man.  
What happened next occurred so quickly that it left Belle completely breathless.  
Instead of Gaston’s blade slashing the man’s throat, the metal met another sword with a loud clang, and in the blink of an eye, the stranger’s appearance had changed completely.  
His rosy skin was now scaly and gray, and his mossy teeth drew the attention away from his reptilian eyes as he growled at the taller knight. He was still small and skinny, but his simple clothes had made way for a beautiful dark outfit, made of the finest silks and leathers. His boots looked more expensive than Belle’s dress and the handle of his silver sword was decorated with rubies and sapphires. A wide black hat with a red feather rested on top of his curly hair, and he only had eyes for Gaston as Belle gasped.  
“Demon pirate!” the king shouted, taking a few step back as he hid behind some of his guards, and to Belle it felt like the air was being sucked from her lungs.  
For a brief moment, she had felt a connection to this stranger, a warmth and affection she had not felt for anyone in a long time. But as Gaston and the strange pirate started fighting, she was not certain what to think anymore.  
“Give up, dearie,” the pirate shouted in a sing-song tone as he blocked Gaston’s attacks with immense ease. “You won’t be able to defeat me.”  
“Well you’re _not_ staying for this party,” the knight hissed between his teeth. “Not if I can help it.”  
“Well, you _can’t_ ,” the pirate replied as he unarmed Gaston, his sword flying overboard while the pirate took a few threatening steps closer, slowly bringing the edge of his sword to the knight’s neck. “Guess I’ll be having your piece of the birthday cake then,” he teased, the sharp metal slowly cutting Gaston’s flesh.  
“Stop it!” Belle suddenly shouted as she found her voice again and she rushed towards the demon pirate. “Please do not kill him!” she begged as she moved her own body in between that of the two swordfighters. She even put her own hand on the demon pirate’s arm, and as his gaze turned to her, Belle noticed that it had not completely lost the gentleness she had seen before. He still looked dangerous and threatening, but as she looked into his eyes, his frown lessened and he once more only had eyes for her.  
“Do you think he would have listened to you if you had asked him to spare _my_ life?” the man asked her, a small smirk on his face.  
“Probably not,” Belle replied in hardly more than a whisper, her knees trembling as she spoke to the dark creature. “But that does not mean that any of you should die. Least of all today… I don’t want to see blood spilled on my birthday. And I hope you have the heart not to ruin this day for me.”  
The pirate shot another angry gaze at Gaston, still not dropping his sword, and even Gaston could not hide his fright this time.  
“I do not have a very forgiving reputation, dearie,” he replied without moving his gaze from the knight’s. “But if you wish to take his place, then that can be arranged.”  
The man’s head turned to hers again, his mossy teeth bared as he smiled.  
Belle froze at that suggestion, her mouth dropping in fear.  
Was it going to be Gaston’s life or hers? Was there no other way out of this?  
The choice was made more easily than Belle had ever imagined. Though Gaston was not kept in high regards by Belle, she knew that she had been the one to bring the demon pirate aboard, and as such, she was the one responsible for all their fates now.  
“Mine,” she replied softly. “Take my life, but spare that of my father and friends.”  
“Belle, no!” her father cried out, though he did not step closer to the pirate.  
“It’s my decision, papa,” she said as she turned towards him with tears in her eyes. “Please. Let me decide.”  
For a moment, it looked like the pirate’s breath was taken away by her nobility and determination, and as he suddenly lowered his sword, Belle braced herself for the final blow.  
“Deal,” the pirate said slowly, his voice deeper now than it had been before.  
Tears streamed down her face in what she thought would be her last moment on this earth, but she startled when she suddenly felt the pirate’s arms wrap around her waist. She had thought he would kill her, but her eyes grew large when she saw the idea forming in his eyes and he suddenly said: “Your life is mine now.”  
No sooner had he said those words, or they both magically disappeared from the ship, leaving the king and Gaston to shout in protest.    
None of the people aboard that ship ever saw them again.

 

 

_art by me_


	2. In the Demon Pirate’s Cabin

A whirl of purple smoke surrounded them and suffocated the princess as the magic of the mysterious pirate engulfed them both. He only wanted to take them both to his ship, but to Belle it seemed like he was trying to kill her.  
Unable to breathe, Belle felt herself become lightheaded, and she was convinced she would not make it out alive. She started fighting the man’s grip in order to break free – in order to catch her breath – but he only grabbed a firmer hold of her, causing her panic to grow. Just as she was starting to see black spots in front of her eyes – a sign that she was going to faint any second now – they arrived and the smoke around them vanished.  
She noticed how she was freely able to inhale again, and after she breathed in a massive amount of air, she started coughing violently, not even noticing how the monster besides her supported her as she tried to catch her breath once more.  
As she became aware of her surroundings, she also noticed the way in which the demon pirate held onto her, and she pulled herself away from his grasp fiercer than was necessary. This time he did not fight it, and when she turned to look at him her eyes were full of anger.  
His reptilian eyes were surprisingly emotionless, and after looking at her for several moments, he suddenly stepped towards her. Belle immediately moved back, fearing he would harm her in any way, but he did not seem interested in her at all and just walked past her to the door of the cabin in which they had appeared.  
“Stay here,” he ordered her in a firm tone that told her she’d be punished if she disobeyed, and she gulped as the door closed behind him.  
For a moment she stood frozen in the middle of the large cabin, her eyes locked on the oak door. Then, her senses returned to her and she began to take in her surroundings. She knew she was on a ship because she could still feel and hear the rocking of the waves. She could hear the screeching of nearby seagulls outside. Next to the door, there was a glass bookcase that covered the entire wall. The bookcase itself, however, hardly held any books, but instead it was filled with trinkets and treasure.  
The left side of the cabin seemed to hold some massive cabinets, and in-between them, there were curtains. Curiously, Belle made her way over to them and drew them aside, only to realize that the curtains blocked the view of the pirate’s bed, which was covered by the finest silks and leathers – of the same luxurious quality as the man’s clothing. Turning away from the bed, she moved to the cabinet next to it and opening its door, she could see the pirate’s wardrobe. It appeared that he did not always wear black, but Belle did not feel comfortable enough to look through his belongings and she quickly closed the door again. Moving to the door besides it, she revealed an empty cabinet, and part of her could not help but wonder if it would become hers.  
He had said that her life was his now – but what did he mean? That he would keep her locked up as though she was one of his trinkets? Or was she to serve another purpose to him?  
Gaston had insinuated that a woman would not be better off in the hands of a pirate than a man would be, and she gulped. She knew of rape, yet she had always hoped that she would be spared from it. Apparently hoping was meaningless, or perhaps she should not have hoped to see a pirate earlier that day, and she feared that her foolish wish had been what had brought the demon pirate to them.  
Sighing miserably, she tried to move those thoughts from her head, and as she opened the next door she was met by the loud sound of the waves rocking against the ship. Confused, she looked in the tiny dark room, to see a hole in a wooden plank. Through the hole, she could see the waves of the ocean, several floors beneath them. If it was any indication to go by, then it seemed like the ship held three more decks below this one.  
“I see you’ve discovered the loo!”  
Belle jumped as she heard the pirate’s voice behind her and spun around, surprised to see that the man’s appearance was human again. He still wore the dark pirate clothes, but he had taken off the large hat, and his eyes were a normal shade of brown again. There was an amused smile on his face, but Belle did not think the time was appropriate to smile. He had taken her away from her family and friends – so what could he possibly be smiling about?  
The young princess quickly closed the door to the toilet and stepped away from him, her heart beating in her throat as she wondered what he wanted with her.  
Noticing the fright in her eyes, the pirate stepped away from her as well, giving her some space, and instead he moved to the massive wooden table in the middle of the cabin. At its head stood a large chair, its seat covered in expensive, red velvet, and the man sat down as he gestured to the other side of the table.  
“Sit,” he said briefly, waving his hand a little impatiently as Belle stared at him for too long.  
As she noticed the small stool on the other side of the table, she hurried towards it and sat down, her hands trembling as she folded them in her lap. As he looked at her, Belle felt very exposed, despite the fact that she was still wearing her yellow gown, and she cast down her eyes, biting her lip so hard that she was likely to draw blood if she kept it up for much longer.  
Noticing her discomfort, he suddenly sighed, and he muttered: “You need a drink.”  
With a wave of his hand, a silver goblet appeared in front of her, but as she watched his hand, she immediately noticed his scales. Once his magic was no longer needed, his skin returned to normal, and as she gazed into his eyes, she was just in time to see them change back to normal.  
It was like her father had said: he was a demon pirate – whatever that meant.  
“Drink!” he ordered impatiently, and Belle raised the goblet with trembling hands. She smelled the red beverage briefly and let its fruity smell tingle her nose.  
“Red wine?” she asked weakly, and when the man nodded in return, Belle took a few slow gulps. She knew all the while that he was watching her, and it did not make her feel more at ease.  
The silence between them became more uncomfortable by the second, and when Belle realized that he would not be the one to speak up first, she cleared her throat carefully.  
“Are you going to kill me?” she eventually asked, looking up at him as she tried to fight back tears.  
Their eyes locked for a few moments, until she cast down her gaze in shame. She felt weak – unable to fight the horrible fate that had befallen her, even though she knew she should.  
“No,” he replied, his tone almost as soft as hers, and this surprised her.  
Looking up, she felt her courage slowly return to her and she chewed her lip before she continued: “Then why am I here?”  
He seemed amused by that question and a smirk spread on his face. “Because that was our deal: your life in exchange for that of your brave knight.”  
Without thinking about her next words, she frowned and replied: “Then would you have taken him aboard your ship as well?”  
Leaning back in his chair, he pushed his fingertips together as he looked at her, and his gaze left goosebumps on Belle’s arms.  
“Of course not,” he replied after several moments. “He seemed dreadful company to me. You, on the other hand…”  
Those words caused her heart to race once more, and she feared what he was insinuating. Even though she tried not to, tears came to her eyes and her entire body shook as she made an effort to fight them back.  
Noticing her unease, he shifted in his seat as well, and he suddenly leaned forward a bit.  
“Princess, how old are you?”  
She felt horrible as she replied, her voice breaking down: “Twenty-one.”  
“Since today?” he asked.  
She nodded quickly, so quick that everything became a blur in front of her eyes – though maybe that was a result of her tears and not so much of the hasty movement of her head. She knew that she was old enough for intercourse, but that did not mean that she actually wanted it – least of all with a stranger – a demon.  
When she heard him slide back his chair, her hands trembled even harder, and when he suddenly knelt down by her side, a whimper left her mouth.  
She wanted to pull back her hand when he took it from her lap, but refrained from doing so. When he pressed something soft in the palm of her hand, she felt confused, and when he let go of her again, she noticed to her surprise that he had given her a small handkerchief.  
This confused her even more, and she looked at him, trying to read in his eyes what he wanted from her. At the same time, he tried to read what it was that she feared, and as he realized what that was, he stepped away from her again, returning to his seat.  
“You are afraid I will hurt you,” he said softly.  
“Yes,” she admitted in a shaky breath.  
“I may be a monster…” he admitted. “But I did not bring you here to injure you.”  
“Then why _did_ you bring me here?”  
He looked away from her again, and this time Belle was the one who sat a little straighter. She squeezed the handkerchief as she held it in her hand, hoping it would give her some strength.  
Realizing he would not reply to her, she continued a little more bravely: “Are you not a pirate? Don’t you pillage and plunder for fun?”  
He smirked because of those questions, and when he looked up, he seemed genuinely amused by what she asked him.  
“Answer me this first, Princess. What _is_ a pirate to you?”  
That question took her by surprise, and she looked at him with an open mouth, closing her mouth when she realized she was staring. The rate of her heartbeat was becoming slower once more, though she had to admit that his question was not an easy one.  
“I suppose… To me… A pirate wants treasure. Like the things you have in those cabinets.” She pointed towards them, and he followed her hand with his eyes.  
“Is that all?” he continued.  
She shook her head slowly. “Pirates only care for themselves, and care very little for the people they plunder and steal from.”  
His smirk had not left his face, even though he kept quiet for a few moments.  
“And what would a pirate do with you, if he had you in his quarters?”  
Against her own will, her hands started to shake, but she kept her voice steady and emotionless as she replied: “I suppose he would rape me.”  
He was surprised by the bluntness of her response and could not hide that from his expression.  
“Then Princess, rest assured: I am not what you would call a pirate.”  
Belle startled.  
Did he honestly mean to say that he would not rape her? She looked at him with incredulous eyes. “Then what are you?” she wondered before she could stop herself.  
“The Dark One,” he replied, and as he saw her blank expression, he continued: “Though do not let my appearance fool you – I may not be a pirate, or a demon, but I am still a monster. But my tastes should not be compared to those of simple pirates. I see no point in raping you.”  
She frowned as she tried to make sense of it all.  
“But then why am I here?”  
The previous time she had asked it, he had ignored her question, but this time he replied: “Why – a woman can have more purpose to a man than just those of the sexual kind, my princess. You’re here for company, of course. I might not be a pirate in your sense of the word, but I’m still a man who considers this ship as his home. The seas can be lonely and good company is hard to come by.”  
Sympathetic as those words seemed to be, Belle was still not convinced. Even if he did not want to hurt her, and he only wanted her to serve as company, then he was still wrong in bringing her here.  
“I don’t want to stay here,” she said honestly. “I want to go home.”  
Tears came to her eyes, but the man’s gaze lost some of its kindness as he looked at her.  
“We made a deal,” he reminded her firmly. “Your life in return of that of your beloved.”  
“He was _not_ my beloved,” she bit back at him, her anger rising.  
“Well in that case I don’t understand why you don’t feel so eager about this deal,” he said with menace in his tone, before an inappropriate giggle left his mouth, though Belle did not see anything funny about what he had said. Noticing her angry gaze, he sat up a little straighter in his chair, and brought his fingers to his chin, scratching it.  
“I never come back on deals, dearie,” he reminded her. “You could have just said ‘no’ if you did not want to come.”  
“And let Gaston die?” she asked incredulously. “It was my fault you were brought aboard.” Frowning, she suddenly continued: “What were you doing in the water anyway?” Motioning to the ship around them, she said: “As we both can see, you are not shipwrecked.”  
Another odd giggle escaped his mouth, and with a flamboyant gesture of his arms, he admitted: “I was bored!” As he rolled his ‘r’, Belle frowned. “You see, I’m a traveler, and at this moment, I have already reached my destination. What else was I supposed to do?”  
Pulling her nose at the idea of tricking people into believing he was shipwrecked, Belle replied weakly: “Read a book, perhaps?”  
Another giggle left his mouth and this time it caused her hair to stand on edge.  
“So young… So naive.” He watched her with something of longing in his eyes, and Belle could not keep her gaze locked on his and looked away, hoping that she was not blushing.  
“It is your birthday!” he continued, his mood too odd for Belle to keep up with. If anything, it was obvious how unaccustomed to company he was. He switched from being amused to offering threats to childish giggles. It did not make the conversation any easier to keep up with. “I have not been to a birthday party in ages!”  
Belle tensed at his words. How could he sound so lighthearted? He had taken her freedom – ripped her away from everyone she loved – and he expected her to… _To what, really?_ To enjoy being here with him?  
“I shall prepare you a meal that is worthy of a princess’s birthday!” He jumped up from his seat and clasped his hands together, looking around. “What about a birthday present? Tell me what you’d like to have, and I’ll see what I can do?”  
Looking at him in anger, she replied: “How about my freedom?”  
For a brief moment, he seemed disappointed that she did not want to play along, or at least acknowledge that he was trying his best to make her feel more at ease, and it angered him.  
“As I said before, I don’t come back on my deals, _dearie_.” There was no mistaking the warning in his tone, but Belle did not heed it.  
She hated the way in which that word rolled off his lips, and she said: “Belle. My name is Belle. Do _not_ call me dearie.”  
“You do _not_ order me what to do, _Princess Belle_ ,” he continued dangerously.  
She narrowed her eyes, but at least he had stopped calling her ‘ _dearie’_ for now.  
“What is your name?” she asked, ignoring his dangerous tone, and his look of malice changed to one of amusement once more.  
“Ah… That is quite an interesting question,” he mused.  
“How so?”  
“Well… In several worlds, names possess a magical power. Giving a person your name would be a sign that you believe that person would not abuse your trust. For with your name, they’d be able to unleash quite a bit of nasty magic on you.”  
Belle wasn’t certain what he was telling her, and continued: “I don’t have magic. So why do you fear giving me your name?”  
He giggled at her reply and his eyes lit up in amusement. “Oh, I don’t fear you… Or anyone else with magic… I am the Dark One – there is no one more powerful than me.”  
“So will you give me your name then?” she continued, wondering why he liked to make such a game out of it.  
“Tell you what, princess… If you can guess my name before we head to our next destination, I will return your freedom to you!”  
Belle’s eyes widened at that offer. That sounded too good to be true, and she frowned as she asked him her next question. “But I thought you said you did not come back on deals?”  
“I don’t,” he insisted. “But I _do_ make new deals. So…” He moved closer to her and extended his hand. “Do we have a deal?”  
Narrowing her eyes, she looked up at him. “What’s in it for you though?”  
He shrugged and pulled a face that was supposed to look indifferent. “Oh, not much… Besides the pleasure of watching you give me the silliest names you can imagine.” He grinned as he looked her in the eye and held out his hand.  
Without much hesitation, she pursed her lips and shook it. After all: at this point, she had nothing else left to lose.

 

 

_art by me_


	3. Dinner with a Lord

No sooner had she struck the deal, or he started instructing her on the rules she had to live by aboard his ship. Under no circumstances was she to leave this room without his approval and she was forbidden to touch any of the trinkets in the cabinets. He seemed a little surprised when she asked him if she was allowed to read his books, and he did not deny her that freedom. She was to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with him every day, and at night, she was required to sleep by his side.   
Noticing how this unsettled her, he assured her: “Like I told you before – I have no appetite for rape. You have nothing to fear from me on that behalf. The fact is that I only have one bed aboard this ship, and I would not deny a princess the right to sleep in it any more than I would deny that pleasure to myself. We shall share it.”  
His words gave her food for thought, and she suddenly wondered: “One bed? So you don’t have a crew on your ship?”  
His captain’s cabin was huge already – so she could not imagine how big the rest of the ship had to be. Was he honestly able to run such a large ship on his own? With nothing but magic to assist him?  
Realizing what she was wondering, he held out his hand to her. “Come,” he encouraged her. “I’ll show you.”  
As she took his hand so he could help her up, he seemed excited that she did not seem afraid of him anymore, and when he offered her his arm and she took it, he could not hide the fact that he was beaming with pride.   
He led her into the next room, which was smaller than his own quarters and held a large desk, covered by maps and a globe which was completely blank. Belle found this odd, but did not think too much of it. The bookcases in the room immediately drew her interest and though part of her wanted to read the books, another part of her believed that she’d be able to guess his name and win her freedom back before she’d get the time to read those books. After all, she was well-read and knew many odd names. She’d be free soon enough.  
As he opened the door leading to the deck, Belle blinked as she stepped into the sunlight. Looking out over the deck and the massive black sails, one thing stood out more than anything: the deck was eerily quiet. No crew seemed to be around, and Belle wasn’t certain if this was a cause for relief or not.  
“Do you sail this ship all on your own?” she wondered, intrigued by how that would work.   
“Not really,” he replied mysteriously. “I do have some help when I need it… But for the moment the anchor is lowered and the crew is below-deck.”  
Belle tried to listen for any sign of life, but it was completely still.   
“Are they sleeping?” she wondered.   
“Something like it,” he replied, and he led her up the stairs to the helm.   
Looking around, she noticed an island in the distance, and pointed towards it.   
“What island is that?”  
“It’s uninhabited and nameless,” he replied, his tone indicating that he wasn’t particularly intrigued by the place. “Rest assured though. We are quite far from your kingdom of Navarre – and even further from Avonlea.”  
If she had had any hope that her father’s guards would be able to find her here, that hope slowly vanished now. Seemingly, the only way in which to win her freedom back, would be to play his name-game, and as she looked at the dark wood of the helm, she bit her lip in thought.   
“If I do not know your name yet, then what shall I call you until I do?” she wondered.  
He was quiet for a minute, before he replied: “Call me ‘my Lord’.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and Belle had to resist frowning and shaking her head in return. She did not approve of the perverse pleasure he seemed to get from that request.  
She doubted that he actually held any title at all – but it was obvious that he had plenty of power. Refusing to play along would certainly be unwise.   
“Alright, my Lord,” she indulged him, and he giggled as she called him so. She ignored it and continued with dignity in her tone: “Then where are we? How many hours are we from Navarre?”  
“By ship?” He thought about it for a second. “About ten. Nine, perhaps, if the winds cooperate.”  
“And why isn’t the ship moving? Don’t you have somewhere to be? You told me that I’d have the time to guess your name until we reached the next destination. How long will that be?”  
“Four days,” he replied, raising two fingers of each hand next to his head, and as he looked at her, it seemed like he was trying to figure out her worth. He doubted she’d be able to guess his name, but the determination on her face made him grow quiet.   
“Four days?” she repeated, narrowing her eyes. “That’s an awful long time for me to guess your name, isn’t it?”  
“Perhaps…” he replied mysteriously, clearly amused by the fact she believed she’d be able to do it.  
“Would you just like me to start saying all the names I can come up with then?”  
“Now?” he asked, thinking to himself. “How about we wait until after dinner? Leaves us something to do in the evening.” His eyes lit up with glee and he clapped his hands together. “Now then, what would my princess Belle like to eat this evening?”

 

It was surprising that she was not crying. She had lost her freedom and family today, but if one thing had to be said about the Dark One, then it was that he was able to distract her thoughts rather easily. The idea that he would make dinner for her, intrigued her, and when he lead her back to the small stool in his cabin, she wanted to sit down, but he wrapped his hand firmer around hers, stopping her from doing so.  
“This chair is not fit for a princess,” he mumbled. “A good lord would not allow his guests of honor to sit on such a chair. Allow me…”  
He let go of her and raised his hands. Then, with a wave, the stool became engulfed in purple smoke and the next moment, a new one appeared. This one was made of beautiful oak wood and had a red pillow to sit on. Watching the carvings in the wood, Belle recognized mermaids, dragons and sea monsters. She was too mesmerized by the details to notice her Lord’s scaly appearance before he transformed himself into a human again.   
“Beautiful,” she remarked, and even though it was not meant as a compliment, the Dark One seemed to take it as such.   
“I try my best…” He giggled softly, and Belle watched him in confusion.   
“So you… _you_ just made this chair? Out of thin air?”   
“Not quite,” he replied as he took her hand and let her sit down this time. He moved to the other side of the long table and sat down on his own chair, his eyes warm as he looked at her.   
“All magic comes with a price… I can’t conjure up these things out of thin air. The wood, the cloth, it’s all aboard this ship already, in the decks below. All that is needed to put it together is magic and imagination.”  
Belle stared at him in awe. It was amazing if he could conjure up anything he wanted like that. Part of her wished that she would be able to do it as well. Then, a thought struck her, and she narrowed her eyes at him.  
“Why don’t you just summon me a bed then?”  
She was in time to notice his blush, and he needed a moment to think of a reply.   
“Look around you, princess. Does it look like I’ve got room for another bed in here?”  
Looking around, Belle thought there was plenty of room for a bed, and she pointed to an empty spot in the corner of the room.   
“Yes, over there.”  
“That’s my spinning spot,” he immediately snapped, agitated, and Belle frowned.   
“Spinning?” she repeated.  
“Yes. For my spinning wheel.”  
She found it odd that any man would want to spin – especially one as powerful as him, and as she looked at the empty spot, she asked: “Is it an invisible spinning wheel then?”  
“Don’t be absurd,” he immediately replied, frowning his arms defensively. “I summon it when I need it.”  
“And you’re not able to summon me a bed when I need one?”  
“No!” He sounded like a small child as he looked away from her, his arms still crossed. “If you do not wish to share my bed to sleep, then you shall not share my breakfast, lunch or dinner either. Or my cabin, for that matter! Imagine me waking up and getting up in the middle of the night to stumble over you. No. I won’t have it!”  
She had not expected his fierce reaction, but had to admit that part of her was amused by it as well. She wondered why it was so important to him that she slept by his side, but that was something she could question another time.   
“Alright,” she said gently. “I’m sorry for asking, my Lord. I will sleep by your side tonight.”  
Those words caused him to turn his head to her again, and his huge grin was infectious. Though she was unable to stop her own smile, the light did not reach her eyes. She reminded herself that he was keeping her here against her will. If she forgot that, then perhaps she’d be able to enjoy herself in the strange man’s company.   
“Well then…” he continued, gesturing to the empty table. “Tell me what it is you would like to eat, princess, and I will summon it to us.”  
 She had read so much about magic, but she had never had chances to experience it from so close. It excited her, and she tried to find a way to reply to his generous offer.   
“Maybe we should start with some soup?” she suggested carefully, and he nodded eagerly.   
“Go on…” he said, moving to the edge of his seat. “What kind of soup? What would you like with it?”  
She bit her lip as she thought, and then she suggested: “Tomato soup? And… hot bread? With some butter? The kind that has herbs in it, of course.”  
He giggled from excitement. “Close your eyes, my Lady.”  
She obeyed him without much hesitation, and while she could not see what was going on, he summoned everything she had asked for – and more. Before she opened her eyes, she could already smell the tomato soup, and when she opened them, she saw the soup in front of her, served in a golden bowl, with a golden spoon besides it. It looked like there were tiny meatballs in the soup as well, and there was a golden napkin underneath the crystal glass. A golden pitcher of water stood beside her glass, and on his side of the table, the exact same things could be found. In the middle of the table, she saw the warm bread in a basket, still damping hot, and the butter on a square golden platter.  
As he stood up, she saw his scaly skin change back to his human appearance, and this intrigued her.   
“When you do magic… you don’t look human,” she remarked, and he made his way over to her to pour the water into her glass.  
He avoided her gaze as he admitted: “Yes. Well spotted, my lady.”  
She was curious about why he chose to look human. Was he truly human at all? She did not know for certain as she looked at him. Brave as she often was, she lacked the courage to ask him that question.   
He offered her some warm buns, and she took one eagerly, a small smile on her face.  
Watching her smile, sent butterflies through his stomach, and as he returned to his own seat, he looked the happiest he had been so far.   
“I hope you enjoy your first meal aboard this ship, my lady Belle,” he said softly, raising his glass.   
“Thank you… my lord.” She looked at him a little shyly, but had to admit that it was infectious to see him look so happy.  “So eh…” She continued with her new-found bravery: “Any chance we could have salmon as the main course?”  
He giggled at that question, before he raised his hands in defeat. “There are some things even _I_ cannot summon… Salmon is one of those things. You see, I have only salt-water fish aboard! But I do have some veal aboard… How does that sound for a birthday dinner?”  
She smiled warmly and watched his grin broaden as she looked at him so.  
Perhaps there was no reason for her to feel guilty about enjoying the time she spent here. After all, soon enough she’d guess his name, and she’d be free once more. Until then, she could have fun during her time aboard, couldn’t she?


	4. The Name Game

After their dinner, which consisted of two more courses, including veal and a small birthday cake, Belle felt a little more at ease. Even if he was no true lord, he was pleasant company to be in, and as he encouraged her to start guessing his name, she suddenly said: “If I manage to guess it this evening, will you let me stay here until you head to your next destination?”  
This question confused him, and he frowned a bit as he looked at her. Uncertain whether she was just asking him a question, or asking him a favor, he stared at her.   
“You… You would like to stay a few more days, even if you were to guess correctly?” he wondered, unable to keep his insecurity out of his tone, and she nodded slowly, blushing.   
“I’ve never been in the company of one who knows magic,” she admitted. “It’s… it’s exciting.” She knew her cheeks were burning red, but she did not care. “And… If it’s only for a few days… I don’t really mind being away from my father’s palace.” She averted her eyes, before she slowly admitted: “Just this morning I was wishing that we could go sailing for longer than a day. Perhaps… perhaps it’s just my birthday wish come true…”  
She looked so hopeful and sweet, that it broke the Dark One’s heart as he looked at her. He had expected her to fight him for so much longer than she had, but she had been the most delightful company he could have imagined so far – with only a few exceptions to that during their first hour together.   
The table was empty once more, cleared from the remains of her birthday cake, and he moved over to her to help her out of her seat.   
“Would my lady Belle like to go outside for a few moments?” he asked politely as he extended his hand to her and his heart fluttered as she nodded and took it with a smile.   
He led her outside, where the sky was black and filled with stars. They both looked up to see the brilliant constellations above them, and as he had no bench on his deck, he led her to a large chest where they both could sit. The air was much cooler now than it had been during the day, and he saw how her bare shoulders tensed because of the cold once she sat down.   
With a wave of his hand, he summoned a cloak for her, and she did not avert her eyes as he transformed from human to Dark One and back again.   
He had noticed her stare, but did not say anything as he put the green cloak around her, and she did not shy away from his touch.   
“Are you human or demon?” she asked him as he sat down, and his head twitched a little before he replied.   
“Both,” he said quietly, and as she remained quiet to think about it, he turned to her once more.   
“Would you like to make an attempt to guess my name now?” he asked her gently. Part of him felt guilty for giving her the false hope that she would be able to win back her freedom, but another part told him that perhaps this illusion was not so bad. She certainly seemed to appreciate the fact that he had made this new deal with her, and if that made her like him, then he was not going to complain.   
She nodded and smiled, and she began with the names of all the male guards she had had since she was a child. After each name, she gave him the time to reply, but after the hundredth name had passed her lips, she stopped waiting for his reply, knowing that he would tell her if she would guess correctly. After naming all the guards, she continued with naming all the knights she had known to be in her father’s court, even the dead ones, and she continued with all the names of the kings in the Enchanted Forest. After what seemed like an hour, she frowned.   
“Do you have like… like two names? Like Rupert-John? Or Lionel-George?”  
He shook his head with an emotionless expression. Though the game had seemed like fun at first, he was starting to feel bad for giving her this false hope. Usually he enjoyed his games with royalty, but she… she was an exception. She was so beautiful, pure and innocent. He could not imagine that she’d ever hurt or trick anyone, or use them as a laughing stock. She had treated him with nothing but kindness when he had been fished out of the water, and had even stood up for him when he had been nothing more than a total stranger. And now, even after he had basically imprisoned her aboard his ship, she remained brave, and so very, very beautiful. It made his heart ache.   
“It’s one name,” he admitted. “But a very unusual one. I fear you might not know it, my lady.”  
She remained hopeful, and replied with the same respect: “My lord, I am not giving up just yet. Tomorrow, I would like to continue. I fear that for tonight, you are the victor of the game, but after a good night’s rest, I’m sure I’ll be able to come up with more names – and I’ll be able to win my freedom back.”  
She smiled, but he feared she would no longer smile once she realized just how difficult it would be to guess his name. Bowing his head to her, he got up and offered her his arm. “Then you must sleep,” he decided.   
Once they were back inside, Belle looked at the curtains that hid the bed, and she felt a nervous knot in her stomach. The bed wasn’t that big, and she had no spare clothes with her. As though he could guess her thoughts, he suddenly said: “I will conjure up a nightgown for you.”  
He helped her take off the green cloak and looked at her figure. She was rather small, and with a wave of his hand, he had conjured up a white nightgown in her exact size. Its sleeves were short and puffy, and its wide skirt began underneath her bosom, flowing beautifully as he waved it through the air.   
She took it from his hands and looked at it, finding it more than adequate, but also a bit too revealing at the same time.   
“If you would prefer long sleeves, then… then I could accommodate you,” he suggested carefully. “It’s just that it’s quite warm for the time of year, and…”  
“It’s fine,” she told him, trying to smile bravely at him. “I eh… I’ll go put it on…”  
Uncertain where to go to change into the dress, he waved his hand again, and a folding screen appeared in the other corner of the room. As she made her way over there, he hesitated, before he called out: “My lady Belle…”  
Pausing, she turned around, wondering why he looked so awkward.   
“Shall I… assist you with untying the laces on your back?”  
Realizing that he understood how difficult her current dress was to get in or out of, she turned red. It was true that she was unable to put her yellow gown on or off without the help of her handmaidens, but she had hoped to keep a little dignity regardless.   
But then again, he had only offered to help her with untying the laces and it was not like he was asking her to show her naked body to him, and she nodded in agreement, turning her back and moving her hair to one side so he could help her.   
Feeling nervous, he stepped closer, her bare neck shimmering in the faint light of the candles in the cabin. How he wanted to kiss her neck and put his hands in her side! But thankfully, he was able to fight back those urges. He had too much respect for her, and he would not take advantage of her.   
Though his hand moved to the laces, he did not touch her, instead, he slowly moved his fingers in the air, and as they became scaly, he undid her laces with magic, not even touching her for a second.   
“There you go,” he said softly, looking away. “I must look up something in my study… You have the room to yourself until I come to bed…”  
As he disappeared from the room, Belle felt like she could breathe again, but she had to admit that it was odd he had not touched her at all – and she wasn’t even certain whether she regretted that or not.

Ten minutes later, Belle had crawled into the bed. Though she had no complaints about the bed – it had luxurious satin sheets and the leather at the foot of the bed kept her rather warm – she was still worried it was too small. Looking down at her own cleavage, she wondered if it was appropriate to ask her captor to change the dress a little bit. It was incredibly comfortable to wear, but uncomfortable to be seen in, especially by a man, and deciding that it was best to keep quiet about it, she laid down on her side, facing the wall as she listened and waited for her magical lord to return.  
Another ten minutes later, she heard the door open, and though she turned her head a little, she did not watch him as he approached her, wearing a dark nightgown of his own. She noticed how the lights all dimmed – except for one in the cot itself – and then she noticed how he lifted the sheet and crawled in the bed besides her. The curtains slid closed, and Belle suddenly tensed up as she felt the front of his body against the back of hers. He put his arm around her and even took her hand in his.  
“Relax, my princess,” he spoke quietly. “I will not harm you, as I promised, but I’d like to sleep close to you, very much.”  
His words confused her, but he spoke them so kindly that she felt like it would be impolite of her to refuse, and she merely nodded, though she could not relax.   
Sensing this, he moved his thumb over the back of her hand, apparently in a comforting matter, but Belle was not certain how to react and tensed up even more.   
“Lean into me,” he tried to encourage her. “You won’t be cold this way.”  
Though she had started trembling, she wanted to tell him that it wasn’t from the cold, yet she found that her voice was unwilling to cooperate, and she merely nodded once more.   
Leaning into him, thoughts of how inappropriate this was crossed her mind. After all: they were not married or anything like it. But then again: was there truly any harm in sleeping so close to a man? In sharing his body heat?  
He nuzzled her hair and closed his eyes, the feeling of her in his arms more relaxing than anything he had felt in his hundred years on this ship. She was amazing, and he knew that she was all his now – for tonight, and for all other nights to come.


	5. A Fairy's Help

He slept better than he had in a century. She did not sleep at all.   
Somewhere in the middle of the night, she saw his skin change in the faint glimmer of the candle against the wall. She was sharing a bed with a demon – not with a man – and she told herself that she could not forget that he was not a normal human. Even though he was capable of pleasantries, he was probably capable of far worse as well. After all, if she had not stopped him, he would have killed Gaston in cold blood. Who knew what else he was capable of?  
When she felt him stir, she pretended to be asleep, and for the first time that night, her body was able to relax – even if it was not genuinely so. When he moved out of the bed, and closed the curtains behind him again, she felt how tired she really was, and she finally fell asleep, unable to remain awake a moment longer.   
When she finally woke, she had no idea what time it was or where her captor was, and when she opened the curtains to look into the cabin, she was surprised to see him leaning against the table, apparently waiting for her.   
He wore dark leather trousers and a black, long-sleeved satin shirt. With his hands folded together in his lap, he looked very human, and Belle startled a little as his warm gaze met hers, and he took her in with his eyes – her sleepy hair, and the way the white dress made her look like an angel.  
As she crawled out of the bed and muttered a shy ‘Good Morning’, he walked up to her and took her hands in his.   
“You slept badly, did you not?” he asked gently, noticing how small she actually was as she stood in front of him on her bare feet. “I had hoped to see it differently,” he sighed sadly, and Belle wasn’t certain how to respond. “I merely wished to sleep besides you, holding you,” he tried to explain. “I would not hurt you, my lady Belle. You let me rest better than I have in a hundred years.”  
As he spoke those words, she looked up at him in alarm. “A hundred years?” she repeated weakly. He looked older than her – twenty years at least, she had figured – but a hundred years? Impossible.  
“Yes,” he acknowledged, his thumbs rubbing over the knuckles of her hands as he held onto them. “I have travelled many oceans on my own in those years. Should you guess my name today, then I would be sad to see you go.”   
Though his words were the truth, he knew that she would not guess. He had nothing to fear, and this night had been the first of many with her in his arms, he was certain of it.   
“I should get dressed,” she spoke softly, feeling ashamed to stand in front of him in nothing but her nightgown.   
“Of course,” he said as he let go and stepped aside. “You will find all you need to prepare yourself for the day behind the folding screen. Some water, a towel, a hairbrush… You’ll see…” Gesturing to the table, he showed Belle a colorful bowl of fruit. “Take what you like. I will be back to have lunch with you soon.”  
Belle let out a deep breath she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding once he left the room. Even though he was so kind to her, Belle felt like she was nothing more than another trinket to him, one he would hold and behold at times he felt like it, regardless of what she wanted herself. After all: he was a demon, not a man, and she could not afford to fool herself about what he was. She needed to focus on remembering all names she had ever heard or read – and she kept the faith that she’d be able to win this game.

But that evening, as they sat on deck after dinner and she listed all the names she could think of, she started to realize that maybe she had never heard his name. This time her list was twice as long, and the names were twice as unusual, but still he never acknowledged that she had guessed correctly, and when she started repeating names she had already said, he noticed.   
“My dear lady Belle,” he said with compassion in his voice. “I fear that my name is too unusual for you to guess.”  
“It’s not a girl’s name, right?”  
“No.”  
“I still have a day to guess, don’t I?” she asked, the desperation clear in her voice this time. “I will guess your name, do not fool yourself otherwise.”  
“It is you who is fooling herself,” he said quietly, but without malice. “I must disagree with you, my lady. You won’t guess it.”  
“My lord, and I disagree with you,” she retorted stubbornly. “I am certain more names will come to me in the morning.”  
Once more, he held on tightly to her as he slept, but Belle could not sleep. This time she did not fear him to hurt her, but she went over all the books she had ever read in her mind, trying to remember all the names of the male characters, making mental notes of all those she had not listed yet.   
She fell asleep as he woke up, and when she woke by noon, he was leaning against the table once more, moving towards her when she emerged from the cot to take her hands in his and to express his gratitude for spending the night with him, just like he had done the morning before.   
It was all very confusing to Belle, and when he left her to get dressed, she was suddenly surprised to see a blue light emerge from her yellow gown as it lay on the chair.   
“Princess Belle,” the small creature whispered, and Belle noticed to her surprise that it was a fairy. “Your father has sent me to rescue you!”  
Her heart started beating in her throat as she heard those words, and it felt good to know that her father had not given up on her.   
“If you can make it out to the deck, you can use my fairy dust to fly away,” the Blue Fairy continued, but Belle immediately shook her head.   
“I fear that won’t work,” she whispered. “You see, the man who has captured me, he’s very powerful. He’d find me, I’m certain of it… I can’t just escape like this.”  
“Belle, your father is prepared to face him if he follows you home. The King doesn’t just have my support, but that of all the fairies. We can fight for you.”  
“No,” she disagreed softly. “The cost would be too high. Unless you can guarantee that nobody would get hurt, I can’t come with you on those terms…”  
The fairy fluttered around nervously, and Belle could see how desperately she wanted to help.  
“There is one way… and one way only… for me to get away without anyone getting hurt…” she continued in a whisper. “I need his name – the name of my captor. He promised me that he’d release me if I’d be able to guess it. It’s the only way that nobody would have to get hurt.”  
This seemed to confuse the Blue Fairy, and she shook her small head. “That sounds like name magic… Belle, who is this pirate demon that took you with him?”  
“He’s the Dark One,” Belle whispered, and as those words left her mouth, the fairy looked at her with a shocked expression. Realizing that the fairy knew who Belle was talking about, she continued hopefully: “Please tell me you know his name!”  
The fairy nodded weakly. “I do! But I cannot speak it to you, for he would certainly hear it!”  
“Can you write it down?” Belle wondered, trying to find a way to learn the name she so desperately needed to know.  
“No, but I have something better. I can spell it. Listen carefully.”

The fairy had only left the cabin for a few minutes before Belle’s captor entered again.   
“Still not finished?” he asked as Belle was getting dressed behind the folding screen.   
“Just having some trouble with the laces of my dress,” she replied – and it wasn’t a complete lie. It was true that she had lost some time while talking to the Blue Fairy, but her dress was also difficult to put on by herself.  
“If you are decent, I can come and help you,” he suggested, and she thought she heard some hope in his tone.  
Feeling bad for knowing his name, she felt like she should indulge him. After all, she’d be gone soon enough, and she’d leave him alone when she left.  
“Your help would be appreciated,” she said softly and she stepped away from the folding screen, into the cabin, holding her dress in its proper place before she turned around. Once more he stepped towards her, and instead of touching the laces, he used magic to tighten them.   
“Tight enough?” he asked her softly, and she nodded.   
“Yes, thank you…”  
She turned around to look at him, but noticed something sad in his eyes.   
“Are you alright?” she wondered empathically.   
After hesitating for a few moments, he admitted: “I’m just disappointed that you sleep so badly with me by your side.”  
She felt a pang of guilt shoot through her at those words, and placed her hand on top of his to reassure him: “Tonight I will sleep better, I promise…”  
After all, she knew his name now, and she knew it would be her last night in his company. Perhaps she’d even enjoy the feeling of his arm around her. Though she hated to admit it, part of her cared for his well-being, and she suddenly said: “When I am free again, will you come to visit me?”  
The question seemed to catch him off-guard, and he frowned in confusion. “What makes you so certain that you’ll win your freedom again, my dear lady Belle? The past two evenings, you have been unsuccessful, and it looked like your inspiration was running out.”  
She felt guilty for cheating on him, though he had never said that she wasn’t allowed to ask others for help. “My Lord,” she said softly. “Your name may be unusual, but it is not unknown in this world. I think I know what to call you now.”  
He took a step closer to her and leaned forward, his nose only an inch from hers as his gaze pierced through hers, looking for a sign of insecurity in her eyes, but he found none. She knew his name, and he could see it in her eyes.   
“Who told you that?” he asked her, his voice hoarse and thick with emotion.   
Watching him react so did nothing to relieve Belle of her guilt, and she looked at him compassionately as she took his hands in hers. “It doesn’t matter,” she tried to convince him in a soft tone. “We can still be friends once I’m free. In fact, it is the only way we can be friends. Please tell me you’ll come and visit me.”  
He frowned and pulled his hands from hers, his confusion changing into anger, and he looked around wildly, trying to figure out how she had figured it out.   
As he saw the small mirror on the cupboard behind the folding screen, he suddenly spun around again. “She did this, didn’t she? She made sure you would not stay.”  
Was he talking about the Blue Fairy? Belle backed away from him and shook her head, her body beginning to tremble in fright. “Who – who are you talking about?”  
“The Queen, of course!” he said in a mocking tone, making a grand gesture with his hands. “Your friend – the Queen!”  
Belle shook her head. “I don’t know who you’re talking about, but I was not helped by a Queen, if that is what you fear…” Gulping, she took a few steps closer, realizing that perhaps it would be dangerous to approach him while he was so mad. “Why are you so angry?” she asked softly.  
“Because you cheated!” he cried out as his hands grabbed the chair he had conjured up for her. “And because I did not forbid you to do so when we struck our deal, and now I have no choice but to honor the rules of the deal!”  
She wanted to comfort him in his distress, but as she took a step closer, he suddenly threw the chair to the ground in frustration, its loud impact causing Belle to gasp, and when he rushed out of the room and slammed the door behind him, tears came to her eyes.  
It was very clear that it made him angry that she was leaving him, and part of her felt sorry for him. But as she headed towards the door, she heard him raging in the other room, and terrified as she felt, she hid herself behind the curtains of his bed, crying for him. Even though he was a demon, he had treated her with respect and he had inspired her like no one else ever had. Her heart would ache if this was the way in which they were to part ways now.


	6. The New Deal

He did not return to the cabin for dinner that evening, and Belle did not change out of her yellow gown as she fell asleep, her cheeks damp from the tears she had cried. For once, he was not leaning against the table as she woke up in the morning, and she soon discovered that he wasn’t even in the cabin. Had he even been in the cabin at all that night? She had no idea what to do, but after an hour of pacing around and trying to catch a sound of him, she opened the door to his study, only to find the place in pieces, many objects shattered on the floor and several windows broken.   
She trembled all over as she made her way through the debris and stepped outside. It was a cold morning, and as she looked around, she found the deck to be completely empty. For a moment, she feared that he had left the ship behind and was taking revenge on her father and the fairies that had come to her father’s aid. Her heart ached at the thought. What if he would return her to her home today, and she would find everyone murdered? Would he do such a thing?  
As she walked to the railing of the ship and gazed out over the sea, she found no comfort in the soft rocking of the waves, and she wept softly, burying her face in her hands. A familiar voice caused her head to shoot up, and she gasped as she saw the Blue Fairy flitter towards her.   
“My dear child,” she called out, her voice a little alarmed. “Why hasn’t he returned you home yet? I gave you his name correctly, did I not? We were expecting you home all night!”  
Belle stared at the Blue Fairy, uncertain what to say. She had never intended to go home so early, but she could understand that it was what the fairy had expected. “I… I did not speak his name yet… But he knows that I know, and that made him so angry that he…”  
Noticing her distressed tears, the Blue Fairy approached her compassionately, flying through the air to land on the railing, next to her hand. “That he did what, Belle? Did he hurt you?”  
She quickly shook her head. “No, no it’s not like that, he…”  
But she could not finish her sentence. Suddenly, a bright light blinded her, and as she closed her eyes, she heard the Blue Fairy screech in pain, followed by the alarming high-pitched giggles of her captor.   
When the light had passed, the Dark One stood beside Belle, not in his human appearance, but looking every inch of the demon that he was. He wore dark leather gloves this time, and the Blue Fairy was unable to break free from his grasp and cried out as he squeezed her fragile body until her bones started to crunch.  
“So it wasn’t the Queen after all,” he said viciously, not even looking at Belle as she gasped and stumbled backwards. “Tell me, Blue, how much pleasure do you take from separating her from me? Is that your only purpose in life? To separate me from those I hold dear?”  
The Fairy was unable to reply to his question though – she cried out in pain, begging him to stop, and Belle could not stand by and do nothing.   
“Please… Please, Rumplestiltskin, let her go!”  
As it was the first time she had ever spoken his name – and the first time he heard his name in a long time – he looked at her in surprise, his darkness completely forgotten for a brief moment, but as Blue squirmed underneath his touch, he soon ignored the princess again and turned to the fairy with malice in his eyes.   
“You will not deny me this pleasure!” he replied sharply, and he took one of the fairy’s wings between his gloved fingers. “You know… I’ve been to places where they’d exchange entire palaces in exchange for one fairy wing…” He giggled in amusement as he softly started pulling the wing, and as the fairy cried out in excruciating pain, Belle suddenly stepped closer and put her own hands on his, trying to stop him from further mutilating the innocent fairy.  
“Please, Rumplestiltskin!” she begged him, tears streaming down her face. “She was only following my father’s orders! Wouldn’t you ask for a fairy’s help if your child had gone missing? Please… _Please_ , don’t do this!” She cried as she tried to reach him, and those words had a surprising effect on him: his look of malice suddenly hazed over, and the grin disappeared from his face. When he turned to look at Belle, his reptilian eyes almost seemed shocked, and Belle knew that she was reaching him: “Please, I beg of you. Don’t do this. You’re better than this.”  
“I’m a monster,” he said softly, his eyes sad, but certain as he looked at her. “This is what I do.”  
“No,” she tried to convince him, and her heart was beating loudly in her throat as she noticed that his grip was loosening on the fragile fairy. “No, you have another choice. Rumplestiltskin… Make a… Make a new deal with me.”  
His lip trembled as he looked at her, realizing that he was unable to predict her. What on earth was going through her mind? Would she be willing to stay by his side? Was that the deal she was prepared to make with him? If that was what she would do, then it explained the things he had seen. She was not supposed to leave, he had known that since she had come aboard.   
“Let her go,” Belle whispered, tears streaming down her face as she realized she was sacrificing her freedom. “And if you save her, and promise not to hurt any of my friends and family for the rest of your life, then I will stay with you. Forever.”  
“Belle, no!” the Blue Fairy cried out. “Do not do this for me!”  
“I’m not doing this just for you,” Belle replied, tears in her eyes as she looked at the small creature. “I’m doing this for _everyone_ I love. Please, this is the only way in which I can save you. I’ll be alright, but if I don’t do this, then _you_ won’t be alright. _Trust_ me. Tell my father that I’m safe here. Rumplestiltskin won’t hurt me.” She turned her head to look at the Dark One, who looked at her with an expression that was a mix between horror and hope. “Will you?” she asked softly.  
“No,” he replied in just as quiet a tone, and his hand fell open, giving Blue a chance to catch her breath. “I will try and make you happy for as long as you are with me, I promise.”  
Belle could not help but wonder what she had done to win his devotion like that, but she was not going to question it. She took Blue from his hands, and noticed the regret in his eyes that he was letting the fairy get away.   
“Belle,” the fairy said weakly. “There won’t be another chance for us to save you. There’s a full moon tonight – you’ll both be gone by morning – somewhere we can’t find you.”  
Belle did not understand what Blue was telling her, and merely frowned in confusion before Rumplestiltskin snatched the fairy from her hand again, holding her in front of his face and glaring at her with a look that made Belle gulp.   
“You’ve said quite enough, dearie,” he hissed between clenched teeth. “Be gone. And you better pray that we’ll never cross paths again.”  
He threw the fairy overboard, and Belle gasped as she watched Blue fall towards the water, but she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the fairy managed to fly up and away instead of plunging into the cold depths below them.  
With an aching heart, Belle watched how the fairy disappeared from sight, and when she glanced to her side, the imp was gone and he was a man again, taking off his leather gloves before he let his hands rest on the railing. He did not look at her, but licked his lip before he softly said: “We’ll be gone tonight. These will be your last hours in the Enchanted Forest for a long time to come…”  
She could not look at him, not while she was trying to make sense of what had just happened. She was starting to realize that she would never return to her old life, but had no idea what to expect of her new one.   
“Tell me if there is anything I can do for you today,” he continued in a gentler tone, apparently trying to win her good favor again. “Anything at all.”  
She turned to him with tears in her eyes, and shook her head. Did he honestly believe she could forget what he had done? He had tortured a fairy in front of her eyes – he had just taken away her freedom, forever!  
“Just leave me alone!” she cried out, and she spun around and hurried back into the cabin, leaving him to look just as miserable as she felt. 


	7. The Magic Mirror

She spent her day crying in bed, with the curtains closed around her, allowing herself to engulf herself in darkness. To her, it felt like eternity was passing before her eyes, like the misery she felt now would accompany her for the rest of her life. She sat with her back against the wooden wall, sometimes with her head on her knees, other times just staring blankly ahead.   
The chance that she’d ever see her father again was very slim, and she wished that she had told him how much she cared about him back when she had still been able to do so.  
But he knows, she told herself. He knows you love him, as you know that he loves you.  
But that was only the tip of the iceberg. Belle’s distress was not just caused by losing her father. After all, every girl had to say goodbye to her parents at some point in life – and perhaps this was not the most alarming thing in her life right now. The fact that she would now live with a monster was the true reason for concern, wasn’t it?   
For now it seemed like Rumplestiltskin respected her boundaries, but how long would this last? She did not expect a monster to have a code of honor that would last indefinitely. She had already seen the cruelty of which he was capable. The poor Blue Fairy would not have survived if she had not struck a new deal with her captor.  
She wanted to be optimistic, but considering the circumstances, she found that increasingly difficult. Perhaps it would only be a matter of time before he would unleash his anger upon her as he had wanted to do on the Blue Fairy.  
Once noon had passed, she heard the door open, and she kept quiet as she hid behind the curtains, feeling anger rise within her as she realized that he was not leaving her alone – though that was what she had asked him to do today.   
She did not hear his footsteps approach her as she remained in her hiding spot, and wondered what it was he had come to do. As she heard the door open once more, this time as he was leaving, she heard him say: “I left you something to eat… I… I figured you’d be hungry.”  
Without waiting for her to reply, he left once more, and after sitting in the darkness of her cot for several more minutes, contemplating whether she was truly hungry or not, she opened the curtain and emerged from her hiding spot.   
She had not eaten in a day, and if she was honest, she had to admit that she was starving.  
What she saw, did not surprise her: a golden platter with a golden lid on it, golden cutlery, a golden chalice with white wine… The only thing that wasn’t golden, was the red napkin he had placed underneath the chalice and Belle sighed softly as she sat down. He only seemed to want to give her the best and she wondered if it was a way for him to regain her favor.  
But if he wanted to make it up to her, then that implied that he had a conscience, and she wasn’t convinced yet that that was truly the case.   
When she raised the golden lid off her plate, her eyes grew large. He had prepared her a large piece of salmon, with mashed potatoes on the side, and if Belle did not know better, then he was trying to make it up to her. After all: on her first day, he had said that he had no salmon aboard. Had he gone out so he could get some, especially for her, and her alone?  
She cried as she ate, though she wasn’t even certain anymore why she was crying. The food was delicious and it seemed that while she ate, the tears flowed more freely than they had before.   
Once she was finished, she sat and stared at the other end of the table, sighing deeply as she realized she could not hide from Rumplestiltskin forever. Sooner or later, they would need to face each other again. After all: it was a small ship, and they were the only two people aboard it.  
Perhaps her life was destined to be miserable from now on, but maybe it would not be as horrible if she could find it in her heart to treat him with kindness. After all, her mother had taught her that those you treated with kindness, would eventually find it in their hearts to return it.   
But how could Belle pretend that he had not taken away her liberty? That alone seemed unforgivable.   
She retreated to the bed and closed the curtains once more, letting the darkness numb her senses as she thought of her past life – how she would never read her favorite books again, or walk through her father’s rose gardens, or watch the May festivities from her bedroom window.  
She was so lost in thought that she hardly heard the door open, but as he carefully called out her name, she sat a little straighter – though she did not make her presence known. He knew where she was either way, and when he slid the curtain open, he looked down at her with a soft gaze in his eyes, and she saw the small, silver mirror he held in his hand.   
“Belle…” His voice was hardly more than a whisper as he crawled on the bed beside her, and she tensed up as she moved away from him, pulling her legs up some more and making herself as small as possible. He sat beside her, careful not to touch her, and offered her the mirror. “I’m sorry for causing you so much grief, and I know you don’t want to see me or talk to me right now, but I must tell you this now, before it is too late.”  
His serious tone caught her attention, and she slowly turned her face to watch him, noticing how hardly any trace of the imp was visible in that moment.   
“This mirror can show you anything you want to see in this world,” he explained as she carefully took it from his hand, and she looked at him in alarm.   
“You mean… I can look at my father with this thing?” she asked him. “Whenever I want to?”  
His head twitched a little as she asked him that, and he averted his eyes as he replied: “Only for today.”  
“Why not tomorrow?” she wondered softly, the distraction causing her tears to stop.  
He took a deep breath before he continued: “Tomorrow, we’ll be far away from this world… We might not be able to return here for a long while... And the mirror will stop working.”  
Though she had many questions about what was to come, she merely nodded. She wasn’t comfortable with the idea of talking more than was necessary to him, and the more she talked to him now, the more time would pass that she was not looking at her family and friends.  
“So how does it work?” she asked as she held the mirror in her hand and gazed at her own reflection, noticing how her eyes were swollen from all the crying.   
“Just ask the mirror to show you what you want to see,” he said quietly. “It will obey you.”  
Hesitating, she looked at the silver frame in her hands, before she said: “I would like to see my father, please…”  
No sooner had she said that, or a green light shot from the mirror, causing her to close her eyes for a brief moment. But when she looked into the mirror again, she could clearly see her father’s throne room, and her poor father was pacing on top of the stairs, looking down at Gaston and the Blue Fairy, who was now as tall as a human, and whose arms looked black from all the bruises she had sustained. Belle tensed as she watched them, and she failed to notice how Rumplestiltskin tensed as well, apparently feeling uncomfortable as he saw the Blue Fairy again.  
Belle saw how they were talking, but felt frustrated that she could not hear about what. “What are they talking about?” she wondered, and though Rumplestiltskin could not hear it any more than she could, he replied with certainty in his voice: “About you, princess.”  
Perhaps she was mistaken, but she thought that she heard guilt in his voice, and when she turned to look at him, she saw that he was looking as miserable as she felt.   
“Rumplestiltskin,” she said quietly, forcing him to look in her eyes as an idea came to her. “It’s not too late,” she continued hopefully, even though she did not fully understand his reasoning for looking so miserable now. “You can still let me go – there’s no need to let guilt consume you - we can always make another deal.” Looking away from him, she felt her cheeks burn up. “I will do anything, please…”  
He gulped hard as she looked away, and wondered if she was implying what he thought she was. Was she talking of… physical sacrifice? As much as he admired her beauty and wanted to touch her, it was not in his nature to take such a thing from a beautiful young woman like Belle – and he most certainly would not enjoy it – not like that. It would be a punishment to the both of them, and he would not put her through that.   
But her suggestion had made his heart soft, and as he shook his head slowly, he suddenly raised his hand to cup her cheek.   
“I’m sorry, my princess,” he apologized in a tender voice, and she found that she was unable to yank herself away from his touch, even if she disliked him for what he had done. “But you can’t leave now… I need you here with me.”  
“Why?” she whispered, feeling a little breathless as she gazed him in the eye. “Why me? Why can’t it be someone else?”  
“It’s like I said when we first met,” he replied just as breathlessly, watching her lips with longing for a moment before he looked in her clear blue eyes again. “I saw you in a dream. I just… I never knew how I would meet you, or how I would get you to come with me.”  
The way he cupped her cheek caused a lot of blood to run to her head, and she felt how a blush was spreading. It did not take her long before she averted her eyes like a love-sick milkmaid and she hated herself for appearing so weak.   
He let go of her, and before she could ask him any more questions, he had already crawled out of the bed.   
“We won’t dine tonight,” he said in a voice that was rather matter-of-fact. “The seas will be rough tonight, and you’ll be grateful for skipping dinner. I advise you to sleep, if you can. We don’t know what awaits us once we cross over.”  
Even though she did not fully understand him, she nodded, cradling the mirror to her chest as he left her on her own in the room. Once he was gone, she spent another hour watching her father, and she even asked the mirror to show her the library, the rose gardens and her old room. It obeyed her every wish, and Belle felt sadder when she was done than when she had started.   
She put the mirror on Rumplestiltskin’s pillow before she took off her shoes and then lay down again and closed her eyes. If he advised her to sleep, then she would sleep. Dark One or not, he had not lied to her so far, and despite his resolution to keep her as his prisoner, she trusted him enough to know what was best for her. But she could not stop the tears from running down her cheeks as she realized that she had just said goodbye to her old life. Forever.


	8. The Crossing Over

It weren’t the visions of her father - who seemed to crying over losing her - that woke her, or the nightmare that Rumplestiltskin would lock her up in one of his cabinets and never let her out. Instead, it was the heavy rocking of the ship that caused her to wake in an instant, and she held onto the wooden plank at the edge of the bed in order not to roll off.  
As her heart started racing, wondering what was going on, she tried to crawl out of the bed, but the rocking threw her back against the wall of the small cot and she yelped as she hit her head. She immediately grabbed it with both of her hands until she felt the headache that followed subside again.  
For as far as she knew, the ship was going under in a horrible storm, and sooner rather than later they would capsize.  
Once she was out of the bed, she tried to put on her shoes, but it was impossible to keep her balance with all the rocking the ship was doing, and she figured that she’d have a better grip on her bare feet anyway. Rushing out of the cabin, it surprised her to see that the study was back to its usual self. All the debris of Rumplestiltskin’s earlier fit of rage was gone and even the windows had been repaired, revealing that night had already fallen, and only the moonlight illuminated her surroundings. As she opened the door to the deck, the ship took another turn and Belle was smacked into the doorframe, noticing how the air outside was cold as ice. Moaning softly, she suddenly thought she saw Rumplestiltskin in his black outfit by the mast, but as she approached him, she noticed with horror that it wasn’t her captor at all.  
In front of her stood a skeleton, his bones as black as the ragged clothes he wore, and as he helped raise one of the sails, Belle suddenly noticed that there were more of these undead creatures – at least a dozen in her line of sight – all working aboard the ship. When the skeleton suddenly snapped his head and stared at her – though this was merely a feeling and not an observation of the young princess, since there were no eyes left in his dark sockets – she stumbled backwards, and she gasped when she noticed how the skeleton drew his sword as he approached her.  
Another sharp turn of the ship caused Belle to lose her balance completely, and she harshly fell against a barrel, knocking it over even though it was much heavier than her.  
The skeleton had lost its balance too, and Belle used that moment to crawl towards the stairs, and she tried to hurry towards the helm, certain that Rumplestiltskin would be there. But as she crawled up the stairs on her hands and feet, trying not to trip over her yellow dress, she suddenly froze when she stared at the black bones of a skeleton’s foot, and when she looked up, she already saw the sword come down, ready to kill her on the spot.  
When the skeleton was suddenly pulled away by his dark vest, the sword missed her by only a few inches, and Belle felt relief wash over her when she noticed that it had been Rumplestiltskin who had saved her – his scales shimmering in the moonlight and his reptilian eyes staring at her in confusion. His head suddenly snapped up as he saw other skeletons approach, and he bared his teeth.  
“Not her!” he barked angrily at the skeletons that were starting to spot her. “Anyone – but not her! Never!”  
Belle trembled all over as she noticed that they all sheeted their swords again, and then continued their rigging and sailing. Rumplestiltskin didn’t give her a chance to catch her breath, and yanked her up by her shoulder, pulling her with him to the wheel.  
“You should have stayed in the cot, princess,” he hissed, his tone full of annoyance, but worry at the same time. “Hold onto the wheel.”  
He placed her hands on the proper handles and made sure she did not fall over as he turned the ship sharply once more. She noticed that the waves around the ship were unnaturally violent while the wind seemed to be completely still on deck, but deafeningly loud a bit higher above their heads, causing the sails to nearly burst under its power.  
It made Belle grow very quiet and as she wondered what magic was at work, she suddenly noticed a dim, purple light in front of the ship, moving from side to side in an erratic pattern, but always close to the level of the sea.  
It became clear to her that Rumplestiltskin was chasing that mysterious purple light, and she dared not ask him how long it would take them to reach it – or what would happen if they did – not while he was so focused and barking commands at the skeletons. With every turn of the ship, she nearly fell to the ground, but each time his arms were there to catch her, and she felt herself growing a little sick from the unsteady motions of the ship.  
“Princess, spread your legs a bit more and bend through your knees,” he suddenly hissed into her ear, and for a moment she felt offended.  
“I beg your pardon?”  
Rolling his eyes, he continued: “You wouldn’t fall over every ten seconds if you’d stand a bit firmer on this deck. Hold on!”  
As he spun the wheel, Belle did as he told her, noticing how the muscles in her legs tensed in order not to fall over – and she remained remarkably balanced.  
“Finally,” he muttered, seeming annoyed by the fact that she had not been able to figure that out on her own, and Belle noticed how they were gaining on the purple light as it scooted across the water, apparently going around the ship in circles.  
“It won’t be much longer now, princess,” he promised her as he turned the ship in the other direction again, and Belle remained in between his arms, suddenly leaning against him as the ship gained speed, and it was then that Belle figured that it was Rumplestiltskin who was controlling the winds above them. It also explained why he looked scaly instead of human. No doubt that he needed his magic to chase this light – whatever that light actually was.  
One part of the chase made her sick to her stomach, but another part thrilled her so much that she was able to forget her discomfort without too much effort.  
As the light suddenly flew over the deck, she gasped, and she heard Rumplestiltskin giggle in amusement before the light suddenly stopped on the starboard side of the ship. “Hold on!” he warned her and she did as he told, bracing herself as she grabbed the wheel extra firmly. She felt him wrap an arm around her just before they crashed into the light and it suddenly blinded them, basking the entire ship in its warmth. When Belle opened her eyes again, it almost seemed as though they were surrounded by the moon itself, and there was no more night sky, but only a bright white light – a reflection of the sun’s – on every side of the ship. Had she run to the railing, then she was certain that she could have touched this light, felt it, but those lovely thoughts of mystery and magic were suddenly forgotten when the light shrunk around them until it was only left above them – in the shape of the full moon, growing smaller as the ship and everybody aboard it fell away from it.  
As the speed of their falling increased, Belle held her breath, and she gasped in terror when she realized that the ship was falling faster than she was, and her feet were losing their contact with the wood below.  
Rumplestiltskin, however, noticed this in time and grabbed hold of her even tighter, pressing her back close to him before he suddenly put his arm underneath her legs and let go of the wheel altogether. Belle held her breath as the ship suddenly fell away from them at a dizzying speed, though they weren’t falling particularly slow themselves. In their free-fall, she clung to Rumplestiltskin as though her life depended on it, and it probably did, and as he noticed her distress, he slowed down a bit in mid-air, giggling in amusement as the ship landed in the waters below them with a loud splash, and they softly fell towards it, and with more grace than would have been possible if she had not been in his arms.  
Looking around her, she saw they were now somewhere completely different, and on the moonlit horizon she could see white mountaintops, as well as icebergs glimmering in the water every here and there.  
It was freezing cold, but when Rumplestiltskin’s feet finally touched the deck below him again, Belle felt nothing but warmth from being in his arms, and she actually wondered if he was keeping her so warm with his magic.  
“I must say that I’m impressed, my princess,” he admitted without taking his eyes off her. “I had expected you to faint a dozen times over, yet you made it through without a single scream. Your bravery is uncommon to me.”  
She chuckled in relief at that confession, glad that he seemed to acknowledge that the worst was over now, and she did not immediately let go of him as he let her feet rest on the deck.  
As a cool breeze suddenly blew over the deck, Belle shivered and ran her hands over her bare arms, and Rumplestiltskin looked around, a small smile on his face.  
“Arandelle,” he announced softly, his scaly skin once more returning to a human one, and as Belle watched his face, she realized how tired he looked. “Not a bad place to be for your first world… Come. Let’s get you warm.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In season 4 of OUAT, we learned that Arandelle was a part of the world of Once Upon a Time. This chapter, however, was written before there was mention of Frozen characters coming to OUAT. It was even written before Frozen was released in cinemas. (Yikes, makes me realize how long I've been working on this fic...) So anyway, for your information, this Arandelle is a completely separate world and you will learn more about it in the chapters to come.


	9. A Cold Night

As they made their way into the study, Belle gazed out of the window to look out on the deck, where the skeletons were still working hard to keep the ship sailing.  
“Do they know where to go?” she asked softly, pausing in her steps.  
“Yes,” he replied as he opened the door to his cabin and waited for Belle to enter, looking too tired to spend many words on her questions, and she decided to keep her curiosity to herself until morning. “They do.”  
She walked past him and noticed how the cabin was a mess. Their journey to Arandelle had moved everything about, but she hardly had the time to remark on it, or Rumplestiltskin fixed everything into its proper place with the wave of a scaly hand.  
“We’re going to need warmer blankets,” was his first comment as he made his way to one of the large cabinets and started digging through its contents. “And you’ll need a warmer nightgown. Not to mention something else to wear during the day. Don’t want you to freeze to death.”  
Part of his voice was playful, but he mostly sounded fatigued, and Belle got the impression that he was trying to sound stronger than he was at that moment. Had he not slept at all that night? And did it truly affect him so much, even while he had all those powers?  
Walking to his side, she took the leather hides from his hands as he took them from the cupboard, and he looked at her in surprise. He had not expected her to help him out – after all, she was royalty… and a prisoner aboard his ship.  
“So where do these go?” she asked casually and he was completely baffled by her willingness to help.  
“Eh… just on top of the current hides and sheets. They’re eh… they’re for the bottom.”  
Belle made her way to the cot and started arranging the hides next to each other as he had instructed. Some hides were pretty large – clearly belonging to deer – while others were much smaller, and she wasn’t always certain what animal they had belonged to.  
He watched her for a moment, completely in awe because of all she was. She had just left her world behind, and she had been through a horribly tiring journey to make it here, not to mention that it must have been terrifying as well. Yet instead of taking a breath, or voicing her anger towards him, she was helping him make their bed, giving him a chance to breathe himself, and he wondered if she wasn’t cold on her bare feet. Conjuring her night gown from behind the folding screen, he started transforming it. The fabric became thicker and he added long sleeves and even a small collar. Then, in his other scaly hand, he conjured a pair of warm, woolen socks, and by the time she finished placing the hides, he stood besides her, offering her these gifts.  
“Put these on,” he said gently. “I’ll prepare the bed.”  
Hesitating for a moment, she took the socks and nightgown from his hands, and she even managed to smile in appreciation. “Thank you.”  
Looking at her as she walked away from him, he could not help but feel like he had won some sort of lottery when he had picked Belle to accompany him. After studying so many people in so many worlds, this one was able to surprise him over and over.  
As she disappeared behind the folding screen, Rumplestiltskin took several warm, woolen blankets from the cabinet, and added some sheepskins for on top. He hummed softly as he made the bed and once he was finished, he looked around the cabin, remembering that something was missing. With a wave of his hand, a small iron stove appeared next to the bed, and with a snap of his fingers, the fire inside was lit.  
When Belle walked towards him, feeling warmer in her nightgown than she had in her yellow gown, she looked at the stove in mild amusement. “Just how cold does it get here?” she wondered curiously.  
Rumplestiltskin looked at her with a grim expression, before he replied: “Even during summers it freezes in the night and in the winter nobody can survive without the warmth of a fire beside their bed.”  
“It’s spring now, isn’t it?” she wondered as she sat down on the edge of the bed, feeling the warm sheepskin beneath her fingers for a moment.  
“Yes,” he replied. “But you’re not accustomed to this weather – and neither am I. It’s going to get pretty cold, pretty soon. Right now the ship still holds the warmth of the Enchanted Forest – but that’s going to be completely gone in a few hours – and it won’t return until we leave this world.”  
As he finished those words, she watched him transform into the imp once more, and with a wave of his hand, he was wearing a warm, dark nightgown, long-sleeved like her own. Sitting down on the bed beside her, his skin turned to normal again, and he held out his hands towards the stove, warming them now that he still could.  
Belle’s thoughts were preoccupied though, and she was beginning to make sense of everything that was happening. “So eh… Arandelle isn’t in the Enchanted Forest? It’s another world completely?”  
He nodded, a small and amused smile on his face as he looked at her trying to figure it all out.  
“And eh… You do this every month? Is that why you had to wait for the full moon before we could leave the Enchanted Forest?”  
He nodded once more, and raised his eyebrows as he spoke to her: “I must admit you are very clever for one your age, princess Belle.”  
“Age and wisdom don’t necessarily go hand in hand,” she reminded him with a sly grin, and for a moment, he giggled – softer than usual, but just as amused.  
“Alright, alright,” he chuckled, shooing her away from his side of the bed, and she crawled underneath the warm woolen blankets. “Don’t be such a wisenose.”  
“A what?” she replied, frowning.  
“A wisenose.”  
“That’s not even a word!” she exclaimed, but he merely grinned mysteriously as he moved to lay against her, and she felt her cheeks burn crimson once more.  
“Yes it is,” he argued. “At least here in Arandelle it is.”  
She frowned as she looked at him, wondering if he was lying or not. “So… what does it mean?”  
“It’s the same as a know-it-all,” he replied, spinning his finger in a short circle to indicate that she had to turn around, and she did as he requested.  
As he pressed his body closer against her back, she frowned stubbornly. “I’m not a wisenose.”  
“Whatever you say, princess,” he muttered sleepily, and before he could think of another retort, exhaustion took over and he fell asleep.

The reason she woke so early in the morning, was because she was freezing cold. Even with all those blankets and Rumplestiltskin so close behind her, she was shivering and she moved a little closer to him, not expecting to hear him moan softly when she did.  
Wondering if he was sleeping, she lightly turned her head to look at him, and she immediately noticed his scaly appearance. It didn’t terrify her – in fact, it had never inspired any particular fear in her to see him in his demon form – it was not his look as much as his powers that had terrified her. But she got the idea that this was his truest form. That was why he could not practice magic without reverting to it – or why he looked this way in his deepest sleep.  
Trying to go back to sleep, she closed her eyes and tried to stay warm, and by pulling the blankets a little closer to her, she succeeded. It was hard to believe that the stove was still burning besides the bed – because it certainly didn’t feel like it.  
When she awoke a few hours later, she was rested a little better, and she had the impression that the sun had already risen. Rumplestiltskin was still sleeping, and she remained in his arms, waiting for him to awaken. When he stirred, the first thing she noticed was how his scaly hand changed its appearance again, and she heard him take a deep breath before he pulled her a little closer.  
Belle wasn’t certain if he did it for warmth or for comfort, and she wasn’t certain if she had to make it known that she was very much awake.  
“Sleep well?” she suddenly asked, and she felt him startle a bit.  
“Yes,” he replied quietly. “Your presence always soothes me.”  
She wasn’t certain if she should take that as a compliment, and she turned to lay on her back and look at him.  
“So…” she said quietly, deciding to ask the questions she had been wondering. “Arandelle… What do we do here? Why did you need to come here?”  
She saw him tense a bit, and he admitted: “I wasn’t particularly trying to get to Arandelle.” His smile was a little awkward, and she noticed the way he dodged her gaze. “Every month, we can go to another world. We just never know which one is next.”  
She narrowed her eyes as she thought about that. “So… If Arandelle is not your destination… Which place is? Are you trying to get home or something?”  
He shook his head. “No. I have no home. Or – if you are referring to my place of origin… that would be the Enchanted Forest – like you. But I do not consider it my home. For now, this ship is my home. It holds everything I own.”  
“Doesn’t seem like a particularly joyful home,” she remarked. “I mean… those skeletons don’t look like the social type.”  
He chuckled in amusement, grateful that she was willing to talk to him. She could have chosen to give him the cold shoulder treatment, but she seemed too curious to treat him like the monster he was – and he was thankful for it.  
“No, they’re not,” he admitted, and he added with a boldness that even surprised him: “That’s what I got you for now.”  
As he looked at her with such gratitude and honesty in his eyes, Belle felt how she was blushing, and she looked away for a moment.  
“So eh… How did they become a part of your crew?” she wondered curiously. “What are they, in fact?”  
“The Black Bones,” he replied with a graceful flourish of his hand. “They vowed to serve me, about a century ago.”  
Belle frowned. “So they were alive back then? I mean… They don’t have lips or tongues anymore, so I wonder how they could have made any vows in the condition they’re in now.”  
He nodded. “A clever and correct deduction. They were once alive, indeed. But the exact terms of the deal I struck with them, are something to discuss another time.”  
He sat up in the bed, and Belle joined him, feeling how cold it was in the cabin when he opened the curtains. With a flick of his scaly hand, new coals appeared in the stove, and Belle felt the heat blaze inside.  
“You were not too cold tonight, princess?” he asked in a worried tone as he helped her out of the bed, and she shook her head.  
“I woke once,” she admitted. “But I was quite alright.”  
With another flick of his hand, he was suddenly fully clothed, his clothes not made of leather and silks, but of warm animal hides, and before he could revert back to his human self, he looked her over.  
“Your yellow gown won’t do here. Best to put it in here.” He put his hand on the wooden door of the cabinet he had intended for her all along, and she wondered for how long he had kept the cabinet empty for her. How long had he wanted her – or someone like her – to join his voyage? Was she the first to do so, or had he known many others before her?  
It was a good question, but perhaps one best left for a later point.  
“Keep perfectly still,” he told her suddenly, narrowing his eyes as he worked his magic, and Belle didn’t even dare to breathe as he moved his fingers in mid-air, conjuring up something for her to wear.  
The dress he put on her was made out of hides – the same color as his outfit – and she could feel that she was wearing cotton and wool underneath it. Her feet were delightfully warm in her big, furry boots, and Rumplestiltskin seemed pleased.  
“It’s not very fashionable in our world,” he said in an apologizing tone. “But it was fashionable last time I came to Arandelle and it should keep you warm. For today, it’s best we do some shopping. The Black Bones will sail our ship to its destination, and we can just whisk away from it as we so please.”  
She did not fail to notice how he used ‘we’ in those sentences, and it was good to know that he was not excluding her from his plans. She could have imagined him to keep her locked up in the cabin, but the idea that she was going to see an entirely different world, was what caused her to smile despite the horrible past few days, and as she looked at her new clothes, she actually giggled softly, excited because she was going to go out and see places – something she had never been able to do back home in Navarre.  
Her giggle confused him a little bit, but still he smiled and he conjured them a breakfast before he changed back to his human appearance. Sitting down in his chair, she also moved to her own, and as she sat down, she was still smiling.  
Though it was freezing cold, Rumplestiltskin felt a warmth go through him that he was rather unfamiliar with. He wanted to believe that she could be happy with him. He was certain that if she felt good about being here, that he would feel good about himself as well, and that was something he had missed in the years he’d lived without her.

  


  


_Beautiful art by[jenotisam](http://jenitosam.tumblr.com/tagged/my-art)! Don't you agree? I love it._


	10. Arandelle

As they made their way onto the deck, Belle immediately watched the mountains in the distance and the red morning sky above them. The land would have appeared a dull gray and white, had it not been for the beautifully colored shades of red, orange and purple in the sky.   
“Before we leave,” she heard Rumplestiltskin say and she turned her head to watch him take a small leather pouch from his pocket. “I want you to have this.”  
As she took it, she felt that there were coins inside, and she looked at him with a questioning gaze.   
“I want you to buy whatever you want. Consider it my birthday gift to you.”  
She stared at him, convinced that he would take it back, but as he smiled gently, she realized that he was sincere. She was moved by his generosity and bowed her head in gratitude.   
“Thank you, Rumplestiltskin,” she said gracefully. “That is most kind of you.”   
She tucked the small pouch in one of the pockets of her hide clothing, and when he offered her some warm gloves as well, she gladly put them on.   
Watching her smile, caused his own lips to curl up happily as well, and he could not believe how fortunate he was to have her with him. Even after the horrible way he had taken her from her family, she seemed to be able to forget about it and move on – with him by her side. It was more than he could have ever asked of her.  
Reminding himself that they were heading out, he cleared his throat.   
“Now… We’re going to whisk away. Take a deep breath and hold it. We’ll be there soon enough.”  
As she did as he told her, he grabbed a tight hold of her, and the next moment he was scaly again, and purple smoke surrounded them. The air around them was freezing cold as they seemed to fly to their destination, though the experience was nowhere near as terrifying as when they had crossed over from the Enchanted Forest to Arandelle. This time, she did not see the ground approaching – in fact, she could not see anything besides the smoke and him.   
When the purple smoke cleared, Belle felt a little dizzy and she took a deep breath once more, and she could see how they had whisked into a snowy forest, with pine trees all around them.   
“This way, princess,” Rumplestiltskin said excitedly as he offered her his arm, and as he transformed to his human self, Belle took it without objection.   
He led her past several rows of trees, until a path became clear.   
“It won’t be a long walk,” he assured her. “Just five minutes or so.”  
“Where are we going then?” she wondered curiously, amused by how each word they spoke turned into white mist in front of them. She wasn’t used to this cold at all, but for now it was able to entertain her.   
“To the capital of Arandelle, of course!” he replied eagerly.  
Biting her lip in thought, she held on a little tighter to him, feeling a cold breeze pass through the forest.   
“Is Arandelle the name of the kingdom? Or of this world?”  
“Both,” he replied. “The kingdom of Arandelle is the biggest in this world, and also the first I came across when I came here my first time. Which is also why I call this entire world Arandelle, and not just the kingdom.”   
“Did you come here many times before?” Belle wondered curiously.   
“Twice,” he admitted. “The last time was just when winter had begun. Twelve years ago.”  
Belle’s eyes grew large as he said that.   
“Twelve years? The winters here last that long?”  
He shook his head. “No. The winters here used to be just as long as ours, and this forest used to be green and filled with life. But since about thirteen years, an eternal winter has spread over the world, and nobody has been able to undo it so far.”   
“Can’t you?” she wondered, tilting her head a little to the side as she looked at him. “You do have the power, don’t you?”  
He chuckled, amused that she perceived him as someone with so much power.   
“I would be able to undo it, I’m certain of it,” he admitted. “But it would take me far longer than just a month to figure out how to do that, and I value my time more than that. Besides, this problem needs to be solved by the people of this land – not by me. I don’t travel from world to world to help everybody out of their misery. I’m merely passing through. Trust me, there are plenty of witches and wizards in each world to help their own people.”  
Belle frowned, not certain if she agreed.   
“It would be noble to help the people of these lands though,” she said slowly.   
“I’m the Dark One, dearie,” he replied, an annoyed wrinkle on his brow. “I was never intended to be noble.”  
“Doesn’t mean that you can’t be,” she replied with certainty in her voice. “Why not stay a while longer and solve their problem? They’ll think you a hero.”  
“Ah…” He suddenly giggled in amusement. “How little you know of the world, dear princess. One like me won’t ever be perceived as a hero. To be such, one needs a shiny armor, and preferably a white steed as well. Sorcery is not welcomed in the majority of worlds.”  
“Well… if you’d try to help people with magic, perhaps you could help to change that point of view,” she tried to encourage him. “And I’m sure you can find some armor and a white steed somewhere,” she added a bit more lighthearted, and he grinned in appreciation.   
“It doesn’t work that way, dearie. Magic isn’t always free. It comes at a cost. Suppose I’d find a way to rid this land of its eternal winter, what would the cost be? The life of a hundred grown men? The life of a dozen fair maidens? Or the life of a baby princess? Would you be willing to pay that price? And do you honestly think I’d be perceived the hero if I’d sacrifice so many lives in order to restore nature on this world? I’d rather just be passing through without drawing any unnecessary attention.”  
He spoke those words as though they were final, and as she thought about it, she wondered what it was he did in each world then.   
“Well… You may have that point of view now, but you certainly didn’t have it when you played that shipwrecked sailor on the day we met… What happened to ‘drawing unnecessary attention’ then?”  
Amused by her directness, he grinned and admitted: “I was bored.”  
“That still doesn’t explain picking a sword fight with Gaston and kidnapping me. And it’s hardly low-profile of you.”  
A slightly more annoyed sigh escaped his mouth. “You can hardly blame me for fighting with your knight – he was incredibly rude. And I know that you didn’t agree with him either.”  
“I didn’t,” she admitted. “But I’d never go as far to threaten him and then kidnap the woman he likes to get back at him.”  
“I didn’t kidnap you to get back at him. And let’s clear this up: I didn’t kidnap you. We made a deal. Small difference.”  
“You hardly left me a choice!” she argued. “It was someone’s life against my freedom! What did you honestly think I would choose? I would never let someone die for me.”  
He pursed his lips together and kept quiet for a few steps, before he stubbornly said: “Well it’s still not kidnapping.”  
Feeling as annoyed as he was, she kept quiet as well, frowning as they followed the forest path.  
As they reached a clearing, Belle saw a city in the valley below, and she could not remember ever seeing a cozier place in her life. The rooftops were covered with snow, and smoke was coming from all the chimneys. The houses themselves were made of red and brown bricks, and their glass windows shimmered in the light of the sun.   
She nearly instantly forgot about their argument.  
There was a bounce in her step as they made their way down-hill, and Rumplestiltskin was glad that she was able to put their bickering behind them – if only for now.   
“So…” she said slowly, thinking. “If there’s an eternal winter… How do they survive? I mean… what are they supposed to eat?”  
Glad to talk about another subject, Rumplestiltskin eagerly replied: “Well, fortunately for the people of Arandelle, there is another kingdom – on another continent. They are unaffected by the cold weather, and they have a good relationship with the people on the main land here. So they trade grains and such. Who knows, we might even pass one of their trading ships this month.”  
“I’d like to see that,” Belle admitted.   
“I’ll make sure to call you when we encounter one,” Rumplestiltskin said solemnly, and Belle smiled.   
“So… they don’t have any food in the kingdom of Arandelle?”  
“Sure they do. Mushrooms, mostly.”  
“Mushrooms?” Belle raised an eyebrow, uncertain if he was joking or not.  
“Aye. Mushrooms. They grow deep in the mountain caves.”  
“That’s not much though. If they only eat mushrooms.”  
“Well, there are some witches and wizards here and there, that manage to protect small areas of land from the everlasting winter. So here and there, they do grow potatoes and other vegetables.”  
“Is that it? What about meat? Can the animals survive?”  
“Most of them traveled south when the winter endured. It’s not so bad in the south as it is here around the capital.”  
“So the people only eat vegetables here? And mostly mushrooms?”  
“Well… There’s also salmon.”  
He winked at her, and Belle could not help but beam because of it. She quite loved salmon, and as they approached the city gate, she held on a little tighter to his arm, curiously looking at the people in the streets.  
Though they were dressed warmly, they weren’t wearing hides like Rumplestiltskin and Belle were. Their coats were lined with fur, but the fabric of the cloak itself looked warm and woolen.   
“Ah…” Rumplestiltskin said slowly as he looked around, and Belle looked at him in wonder. Turning to her, he explained, his voice indicating how he felt a little embarrassed: “Fashion has changed a bit since my last visit here, apparently. I swear to you that hides were still fashionable when I left this place.”  
She chuckled, amused by his mistake. “How long ago was that?”  
“Oh a decade or so…” he admitted in shame.   
“Don’t worry about it, Rumplestiltskin.”   
Looking around in the street, Belle suddenly saw a wooden board with a dress drawn onto it, hanging above one of the shops. Pointing to it, she softly pulled his arm. “Look there! We could go shopping there.”  
“I’m not sure if I’d fancy myself in a dress,” he joked, and Belle chuckled.   
“I’m sure you’d look lovely,” she teased him. “Come, they might have clothes for men too. Let’s go and see what they sell!”

It was delightfully warm in the shop, and there was a stove in each corner, warming Belle as she tried on dress after dress. Rumplestiltskin tried on some suits as well, the vests looking quite elegant despite of the thick fabric they were made of, but even despite Belle’s compliments on how the outfits looked good on him, he only bought one, made of brown leather and chestnut brown fur. He seemed to be willing to wait patiently for Belle’s shopping to finish, but she could see that he was a little on edge at the same time, looking at the old woman who ran the place suspiciously whenever she asked Belle something.   
Belle bought two dresses – a green one and one made of a dark pink color. She also bought a bright red cloak with a white fur trim. The bottom hem reached the floor, which Belle thought was a good thing because then she could keep on wearing the delightfully warm hide boots that Rumplestiltskin had given her that very morning. She also bought several thick underskirts and leggings that would keep her legs warm, as well as some more warm underwear, which made Rumplestiltskin even more awkward as she asked the old woman for help finding her size.  
Belle paid for the clothes from her own bag of money, and wore the pink dress and the red cloak as they headed outside again. It was obvious from the way in which the shop owner wished them a good day, that she had not sold such a large amount of clothes in a very long while.   
Once they were outside, Rumplestiltskin directed them into an abandoned alley, and took the bags from her. Looking around suspiciously first, checking if they were all alone, he then changed into his scaly appearance and the bags vanished from his hands.   
Realizing that he had whisked their purchases to the ship, Belle considered how fortunate it was that he knew magic, and once he transformed into his human appearance again, they headed further into town, looking into the windows, careful not to slip over the icy cobblestones beneath them.  
Children were playing in the snow, making snowmen or throwing snowballs at each other. Belle watched them in amusement before Rumplestiltskin pulled her into an inn, and the noise inside made Belle grow rather quiet. She wasn’t used to crowds as abundant or big, and she was glad when Rumplestiltskin sat them down in a corner.   
The two hearths that were burning in the room kept the place rather warm, and when a young girl – half of Belle’s age, came to give them the menu and lit a few candles on their table, Belle felt a little self-conscious when she saw the girl watch her and Rumplestiltskin.  
What did people actually think as they saw them together, Belle wondered? Did they think they were married? Or perhaps even that he was her father? Belle wasn’t certain, but Rumplestiltskin noticed her unease and shifted in his seat.   
“Is this not to your liking?”   
His voice sounded worried, and she immediately felt bad for making him think that she disliked this.   
“Oh. Don’t worry. It is,” she tried to convince him. “I’m just… I’m not really used to… to all this.” She gestured around her.   
“All what?” he wondered.   
“Going out,” she replied honestly. “Crowds…” She startled as some men in the corner of the room suddenly cheered loudly while the youngest in their company gulped down a large pint of ale in one go. Belle quickly averted her eyes. “I mean… father sort of kept me locked in the castle for most of my life.”  
Rumplestiltskin snorted, surprised that this was what was bothering her. “And you’re calling me the kidnapper.”  
She glared at him as she replied: “Kidnappers steal people from their homes. My father is the one that gave me my home. You, on the other hand… You forced me to leave it. Without even giving me a chance to say goodbye!”  
Her words actually cut him and he returned her angry glare for daring to speak to him in that way. He had tried everything to make her feel comfortable – was still trying to accommodate her in every possible way – yet she kept on reminding him of that which he wanted them to leave behind.   
As the girl came to take their orders in that moment, they both sounded rather angry, and the girl left much quicker than was necessary, afraid she’d get burned if she stayed in their company for too long.  
Rumplestiltskin stared into the flames of the candles between them, clenching his fists so hard that he drew the blood from his knuckles, and it was something that didn’t go unnoticed. The princess leaned against the back of her chair with her arms crossed, pouting as she refused to take back any of her words. She tried to bite back tears. After all, she did not want to make a scene.  
Rumplestiltskin didn’t fail to notice the tears in her eyes though, and he let out a deep breath, wondering what was wrong with him. He could not stand her tears, and part of him felt like it was his greatest weakness.   
“Belle…” He held out his hand, hoping she’d take it, but she just stared at it for a few moments, confused and emotional. “Please,” he insisted, and slowly – without leaning any closer to him – she put her hand in his.   
He softly rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, trying to be honest with her.   
“I realize that what I did was selfish,” he tried to apologize. “But please, answer me this… If I had come to you on that ship, and there would not have been a fight… and I had told you that I wanted you to travel with me – from world to world – to introduce you to magic – to let you see everything you wanted to see… Would you have stayed with your father? Or with that knight you did not want to marry?” He looked at her kindly before he asked: “Or would you have come with me?”  
He looked at her with such hope in his eyes, that Belle felt even more distraught that she did not know the answer – not immediately, anyway.   
“I don’t know,” she said softly, a frown on her face. “I’ve always wanted to see the world, but…”  
His hopeful gaze turned into one of fear, and she noticed how important her opinion was to him.   
“If you would have told me that it was only for a year, I would have come with you straight away,” she suddenly admitted, and when she saw his relieved smile, she smiled softly herself. “But this is much more complicated. I try to be strong, but the truth is that I miss my family. And I know that if I think about it for too long, I’m completely lost.”  
Though she tried to smile, she felt a lump in her throat at the memory of her father, and she felt Rumplestiltskin squeeze her hand to distract her.   
“Please accept my apologies, princess,” he said quietly, and she looked at him with wide eyes, the certainty on his face causing her knees to tremble. “I am genuinely sorry for taking you from your family in the way that I did. But I needed you with me.”  
Though she wondered why he admitted that, she had no time to ask him why. The girl was back to bring them their lunch, and they both watched the bowls of mushroom soup that were put in front of them, as well as two bowls with mushroom salad (which consisted of mushrooms mostly, with tiny bits of potato in between – so small that most people would have overlooked it) and two tankards of ale.  
As the girl left, Belle sighed. “I suppose we can’t change the past.”  
Rumplestiltskin remained completely quiet as he held his spoon in his hand, and he waited for her to finish.   
“And I want to enjoy this adventure as much as I can… But… It’s just difficult because my heart is broken.”  
He shot her an empathic gaze, and she smiled weakly in return.   
“Forgive me for my rudeness.”  
“No,” he immediately said. “There is nothing to forgive, princess. Not of you. Only of me. I should have left you more of a choice, but… I was too much of a coward to believe you’d ever pick me. And now my cowardice has ripped you from your family as…”  
He suddenly stopped. He had been about to say ‘as cruelly as I was ripped from mine’, but managed to hold his tongue in time. But still, he was starting to realize how horrible it had to be for her to never see her family again, and it made him feel even worse. Not only had he separated Baelfire from him, he had also separated Belle from her father. Only a fool would make the same mistake twice, yet he had done so.   
“As what?” Belle asked softly as she noticed how quiet he had grown.   
“As well,” he replied softly, before he put his spoon in his bowl and started his lunch.   
It wasn’t that he was that hungry, but he realized that if he wasn’t careful, he’d share every secret he had with her. And though part of him felt like she could be trusted, another part of him warned him never to trust anyone ever again – least of all with matters of the heart.

  
Belle and Rumplestiltskin taking a stroll through the cold woods of Arandelle - Art by susans-art-blog from Tumblr. 


	11. The Bath

As it started to snow in the afternoon, Belle and Rumplestiltskin decided to leave the capital of Arandelle behind.   
It seemed like the temperature had dropped even lower when they whisked onto the deck of the ship, but at least it wasn’t snowing where they were currently sailing. The air was freezing and there were thick clouds of snow in the sky, and so Rumplestiltskin quickly made his way into his study to leave the cold behind.   
Belle looked at the Black Bones as they hung in the ropes or were scrubbing the wooden floor with their skeleton hands. Skeletons or not, they looked like an effective crew, and Belle wondered how that was even possible. As Rumplestiltskin called her name, apparently wanting her to join him, she realized she had much to learn and understand about magic before she had any idea how this ship actually operated.  
“Come,” he eagerly beckoned her towards him as he stood by the white globe in his study, and she closed the door behind her before she walked over to him, watching him look at the round sphere with a small smile on his face. “Look,” he continued as he pointed to the middle of the globe. “This is where we are, and this is where we’re headed!”  
Belle frowned and felt terribly confused as she saw him point to the blank globe. Did he honestly expect her to be able to see something?  
Waiting for her response, he suddenly noticed her expression, and he snapped his fingers.   
“Of course! It needs your blood first.”  
Belle’s eyes widened as she looked at him, and he giggled.   
“Don’t worry, princess. Just a tiny drop – not a pint!”  
He pointed to the needle on top of the globe, and Belle brought her finger to it. Without doubting him or even considering that he was lying, she pricked her finger, and Rumplestiltskin had to admit that he was surprised by how easily she obeyed him. Her trust made his heart ache for her, and he hoped that she would continue to trust him until the end of their days together.  
As she pulled her finger away, it was as though her blood coursed through the white sphere, and she suddenly saw the outlines of the continent, and how their ship was a small black dot on the globe, slowly moving to the east. As she saw a green dot a bit further away, she wondered if that was where they were going. It seemed to be a spot in the middle of the ocean.  
“So what’s over there?” she wondered as she pointed to it.   
“It’s the point where we’ll cross over next full moon. We’ll reach it in three weeks. And that is with nightly rests included. Unfortunately, these waters are too dangerous – too many icebergs – and I quite value my sleep. If we’d sail during the night as well, we’d make it there much quicker, of course.”   
Belle smiled as she watched the magical globe, but suddenly startled when Rumplestiltskin took her hand. He watched her index finger and the little drop of blood that came from it, and then waved his hand over it, a purple glow making her small wound disappear.  
His quick transformation did not go unnoticed, and Belle suddenly grabbed his hand before he transformed back, startling him in return and he looked at her in confusion.  
“Rumplestiltskin,” she said softly. “Why do you change back to a human appearance all the time? You know, you don’t have to…”  
“I disagree,” he replied, his voice sounding a little rougher than it usually did, though his gaze was gentle. “I want you to know me as a man, princess. Not as a monster.”  
“Even if you look like this, you can still be a man. Just as there are plenty of monsters that look like ordinary men. Appearances can be deceiving.”  
He lifted their hands between them, covering their joined hands with his left one, hoping to warm hers.   
“I am glad that they are not in your case,” he admitted in a quiet tone. “You are as beautiful as you are kind. And you do not deserve to look upon this during your time spent with me…” He gestured towards himself with an apologetic gaze in his eyes. Then, before she could disagree, he transformed back into his human self, and she looked at him sadly.   
“Come,” he tried to cheer her up. “Let’s put your new clothes in your wardrobe.”

He stayed close by her side as they put her first belongings in her cabinet, and when he asked her if there was anything she desired, she looked around nervously.   
“I eh… I’ve been here a few days now,” she started a little uncertain of herself. “And I eh… I was wondering if you had a bathroom? Or eh… A bath… In another room, perhaps?”  
He looked at her in confusion for a few moments, but then he figured that she did not know magic like he did. He could rinse himself with magic, but she had no such way to come clean.   
As a sudden smile came to his face, it startled Belle a bit, and he clapped his hands excitedly.   
“I will get you one,” he promised. “Stay here!”  
The next moment, he whisked away, and Belle stood still for a few moments, before she murmured to herself: “Well… I suppose it’s not like I’ve got anywhere else to go…”

She waited for a few minutes, but eventually she took a book and went to sit on their bed, hidden behind the curtains as she read, with a blanket on her lap. That place felt secretive and exciting to her, not to mention that it felt safe too, and it made reading even more fun.   
After an hour, she suddenly heard him whisk back into the room, and when she looked out from between the curtains, she saw him appear from behind the folding screen, an excited grin on his face.   
“Come see,” he beckoned her, and she left the book behind to join him. As she looked behind the screen and saw the long, marble bath, she could not help but laugh.   
“This is a bath fit for kings!” she exclaimed in surprise.   
“Well…” he said as he pretended to be shy. “You are a princess, after all.”  
Without hesitating, she threw her arms around him and hugged him close, causing him to freeze in terror as his eyes widened in alarm.  
She felt so warm – so near him – that he was unable to respond. He just stood there as awkwardly as he felt, and when she let go and smiled, he had to remind himself to return that smile.  
As he slowly came to his senses again, he gestured to the bathtub. “Shall I eh… Shall I fill it up for you? I’ll eh… I’ll just spin.”  
“Spin?” She looked a little confused.   
“On my spinning wheel,” he replied, still feeling a little awkward from their earlier hug. “I… I conjure it up sometimes. When I need something to do.”  
“Oh. Right,” she replied, bowing her head a little awkwardly as she remembered he had told her that he had one of those on her first day aboard. After he filled up the tub and conjured his spinning wheel, he left her on her own behind the folding screen and she started to undress. She could hear the stove blazing and she was convinced that he had put in some more coals – if only to keep her warm. Once she was undressed, she slid into the tub, and as Rumplestiltskin sat behind the spinning wheel, he could not help but feel distracted by the splashes of water from behind the folding screen. Just the idea that she was a few steps away from him – completely naked – made his pants feel a bit too tight – and he tried his hardest to put her out of his mind, but the memory of her hug was too fresh and he could still recall that wonderful scent of her while she had been so close in his arms.   
Those thoughts were becoming too distracting to him, and he knew that she deserved much better than a lonely monster lusting over her. “If you’ll excuse me for a few minutes, princess, I’ll be in my study,” he excused himself as he got up from behind the spinning wheel, and he added: “You can remain in the tub if you like. The water will stay warm for as long as you like.”  
“Alright. Thank you, Rumplestiltskin!”  
Even her sweet voice sent darts of pleasure to his groin, and before she could drive him even madder, he turned around and hurried into his study. He made sure the door was closed behind him, and once it was, he sat down in his chair and opened up his pants, releasing himself to the cold air.  
He changed out of his human appearance and into his darker one as he grabbed a hold of his cock. And cold or not, the thought of Belle kept him rock hard as he stroked himself, his eyes closed as he softly moaned, the memory of her so close to him enough to push him over the edge in a matter of minutes.   
As he opened his eyes again and cleaned up the mess with a wave of his hand, he let out a deep sigh. As he slowly grew limp once more, he tucked himself away, before another shaky breath escaped his mouth.   
She hadn’t even been here for a week, and already was he finding it hard to control himself.   
It had been decades since he had pleasured himself in this way – and for ages it had not appealed to him at all. But now that Belle was here, it was becoming a necessity. He supposed that it was alright, if it meant that he could control himself in her presence. He could always relief himself in his study whenever she became too irresistible. She would be disgusted if she knew what he was doing, he knew that very well, but she didn’t need to know.   
Without even knowing it herself, she was making him feel like a man again.


	12. The Bookworm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to dedicate this chapter to someone who commented (sort-of-anonymously) today, and whose comment basically left me crying from emotion. Thank you, 'Ilovethisfic', wherever you are, whatever your name is, you completely made my day - and it's my birthday, none the less, so what a great present is that? *hugs*

By the time he returned to the cabin, he figured that Belle was sitting behind the curtains of his bed again. Wondering what she was doing, he made his way over there and opened the curtains enough for his face to peek through, to see her sitting with her back against the wooden wall. She had put her pillow behind her lower back, and she had blankets wrapped all around her, keeping her warm while she was already wearing her nightgown.   
She looked up with a smile, the book in her lap telling him that she had been reading. Turning his head a little, he noticed the pictures of magical creatures, and he recognized it as one of his magic books, and he raised an eyebrow.   
“I did not know you had an interest in magic, princess…”  
“Oh!” She smiled apologetically, and she sounded awkward while she admitted: “I don’t really do… Or… Maybe I just didn’t before. I do now, I guess. I’m just… I love reading. I haven’t read much about magic in my life. This is all rather fascinating! A bit morbid at times, but fascinating.”  
He chuckled at her enthusiasm, and decided to leave her to her literature.   
“And you’re certain you don’t want to leave this cot while you read?”  
“I’m certain,” she replied with a smile. “I like it here. Feels cozy. Or…” She suddenly froze. “Or would you rather be in here?” She nervously bit her lip as she looked at him, trying to figure out his intentions. “I mean… If I’m in your way you only need to tell me.”  
“No, no, my dear,” he quickly assured her. “You’re not in the way at all. I was just about to do some spinning.”   
As he started spinning, he wasn’t very aware of the time as it passed, and when Belle emerged from the cot, it had gotten very dark outside, and it had already passed dinner time as well.  
She slid into her warm boots as they stood by the bed, and made her way over to him in her nightgown, watching curiously as he spun. The golden thread caught her eye, and she stood beside him as she watched him.   
“That’s beautiful,” she said softly, and he turned his head lightly, his hands stopping the repetitive motions of before.   
“Tired of reading?” he asked her.   
“Oh no,” she replied with a chuckle. “I finished this book though. I wanted to grab another. But I was also thinking that eh… maybe we could have something to eat first?”  
“Goodness me,” he said as he turned away from the spinning wheel, only realizing now how late it was. “I forgot all about dinner, didn’t I?”  
She grinned. “You must really love spinning a lot – if it makes you forget the time.”  
Getting up from the small stool, he made his way over to the table, and with a twist of his scaly hand, more coals appeared on the stove in the room. Belle sat down on her chair, feeling a little awkward suddenly that she was wearing her nightgown.   
“Should I change if we are to have dinner?” she wondered.   
“No, no, it’s fine, dearie,” he replied gently. “Make yourself at home. You can wear whatever you like, as long as you’re comfortable.”  
She wasn’t used to that luxury, and she nodded her head in gratitude while he conjured up some dinner for them.  
Belle ate the beef and carrot stew with much gusto, and he could not help but look at her a little dreamily for a while, before a question of hers made him realize he was staring and not paying any attention to her words.  
“Excuse me… what?” he asked with a blush on his face.   
“I was just wondering what book you would recommend to me. You have quite a few, and I’m wondering if there’s one that you consider a must-read.”  
“Oh…” His blush did not disappear from his face. “I’m not… I’m not such an avid reader,” he admitted.   
“Oh…” She felt a little disappointed by that. “How come?” she wondered.  
He shrugged, prodding his stew as he tried to pretend it was nothing. “I’m not a very good reader. I usually just skip through the chapters, and in case of my magic books only read those spells that are of interest to me. So I don’t really read for the joy of reading.”  
“I’m sorry to hear that,” she said compassionately, and he could not help his frown.   
“You feel sorry for me because of that?” he asked her in confusion.  
Realizing how horrible that had to sound, she started blushing, and she quickly shook her head. “Oh… eh… My apologies! I didn’t mean to insult you or anything.”  
He was amused by how uncertain she seemed to be, and he chuckled, chewing another mouthful of stew before he said: “It’s obvious that you consider reading to be quite the gift. But why would it be important to you whether I read or not?”  
She hesitated, trying to find the right way in which to reply. “Well… It’s not so much that it is important to me… But I’m wondering if it is not important to you? I mean… You travel from world to world – don’t you ever read books from the lands you visit?”  
“Why would I do that?” I wondered. “What can I learn from books that I can’t learn in the towns I wander?”  
Now it was her turn to shrug, and she smiled softly. “Many secrets are hidden in books. Not everything is spoken about on the streets… And when you’re back in this cabin in the evening, you have left the city behind. But if you open a book, you can visit that place again – at your own command. As well as many cities that don’t even exist… You can explore without limits.”  
He stared into her blue eyes as she said that, and he was starting to understand what she found so intriguing about books.   
“I have the impression that you have spent a great deal of your life reading, princess.”  
She bowed her head in agreement. “I have.”  
“Well…” he concluded, smiling. “You are free to read as much as you like here. But I’d like to remind you that you’re no longer stuck in your father’s palace here. If you wish to leave to see a bit of the world, all you need to do is ask me. I’m at your command.”  
He bowed his head to her, and she was touched by those words. He was willing to sacrifice his time to make her dreams come true, and it was a gift she did not understand. Why would he give her so much? What had she done to earn such gratitude? Or was there a catch?  
“Rumplestiltskin…” She spoke his name softly, hesitantly. “What is it that you expect of me in return?”  
His gaze softened and he averted his eyes, focusing on his dinner again.   
“Just that you stay in my arms while we sleep. That is all…”  
That response was not what she had expected, and it confused her more than anything. But regardless, she decided to let it rest, and to honor his request. Perhaps one day, he would reveal what he truly wanted with her. But for now, she would believe him when he said he only wanted to sleep by her side.

The next day, they went to the capital again, dressed in their new clothes, and Rumplestiltskin bought a great deal of coal, explaining to Belle that he would whisk it to the ship, so that they would not run out during their stay in Arandelle.   
At the market, they bought a lot of mushrooms – many more than the two of them could eat in a week – and Belle asked him if it was for the Black Bones then.  
He giggled at that question, and replied fluently: “No, my princess, it’s for us! I’ll keep it below-deck, where I keep all other provisions.”  
“But… Will the mushrooms last?” she wondered. “How long can we store them before they spoil?”  
He raised an eyebrow as he looked at her teasingly.   
“We have a ship run by a crew of undead skeletons, and you seriously doubt that I can keep mushrooms from spoiling?”   
She laughed because of that reply, and he beamed proudly. Each time she laughed, it was like his heart burst with joy, and he hoped that he could continue to make her happy like this.   
“In case you want to know,” he added a little more seriously. “I try to keep a large variety of ingredients on the lower decks. That way I can conjure up something different to eat every evening.”  
“Can I see?” she wondered. “You haven’t shown me the lower decks so far, and I’ve been with you for a week now.”  
He tensed because of that request, and it did not go unnoticed.  
“I’d rather not have you go there,” he said softly. “It might disturb the magic of the ship – and I don’t want that to happen. The things I hold below-deck are too valuable. I would not want everything to spoil, you see…”  
“I understand,” she whispered, only feeling a little disappointed, and he noticed it in her tone.   
“Tell you what,” he tried to cheer her up. “Let’s look for a book shop, ey? What do you say to that?”  
She grinned eagerly, and bobbed her head up and down.   
“That sounds wonderful!”  
Once they stepped into the bookshop, it took Belle nearly an hour to gather all the books she wanted to take with her, and when she was finally ready to pay the shop owner, who was incredibly surprised that a woman would want to buy so many books from him, she emptied her entire pouch in order to pay him.  
The man counted every piece of gold, but as he finished, he slowly shook his head. “I’m afraid this isn’t enough, milady. I’m willing to give you one extra book for free, but I’d like you to put back two of the bigger ones.”  
As Rumplestiltskin saw the disappointment on her face, he made his way over to her, and took out his own pouch, offering the shop owner five more gold coins to pay for the books.  
Belle looked at him with large eyes. When he had told her that she could buy whatever she wanted to have with the money he had given her for her birthday, she had not expected that he’d bear her even more gifts.  
Once they stepped outside with their arms full of books, Belle looked happier than she had since they had met, and once they whisked back to the ship – after sending the books there first – Belle pressed a wet kiss to his cheek.   
He felt his pants tighten almost immediately, and wished her a good time reading before he retreated to his study to relief himself, hoping that her new literature would be enough to distract her from his soft moans.


	13. Better Left Unseen

As the weeks passed, they grew into a rhythm. Every morning, they’d have breakfast and then leave to explore the world of Arandelle. Though they often visited the capital, they also visited smaller towns, and even towns on the other side of the world, where it wasn’t freezing cold. Though Belle seemed to prefer those visits over the others at first, that soon changed when she found out that the people of the southern continent were illiterate. She enjoyed Rumplestiltskin telling her all he knew of the world of Arandelle – how the people of the south did not consider reading to be a valuable passing of time, as they spent a lot of time farming and talking, and they passed down stories from mouth to mouth. The people of the north were quite the opposite. They were often more reserved, and because they were forced to stay inside during the cold nights, reading was a very popular pastime.   
They would usually return to the ship in the afternoon, and Belle spent her afternoons reading in her cot while Rumplestiltskin spun by his wheel. In the evenings, they had dinner, and sometimes Belle asked Rumplestiltskin to fill up the bathtub. He always retreated to the other room in those moments, and Belle thought it was because he wanted to give her some privacy. Little did she know of the arousal she caused him each time.   
During the nights, he still held onto her like his life depended on it, and Belle was getting used to his firm grip. It no longer kept her from her sleep, and she often fell asleep before he did.   
During their last week in Arandelle, Belle woke in the middle of the night. Not because she was cold, but because she felt his hand on her side, holding her, gently squeezing her flesh – and her heart started racing. She was about to ask what he was doing, when she felt him hump once against her bottom, wondering what on earth he was thinking. Her cheeks flushed red when she felt his hard manhood pressing between her legs as he pushed himself against her, and she had no idea how to respond. She was still dressed in her warm nightgown, and she was certain that he was still fully clothed as well. But then… what was going on? The only explanation that sounded plausible to Belle, was that he was dreaming, but very vividly.   
She could remember having very vivid dreams herself – dreams where she would kiss the heroes of her favorite stories, and so she could imagine that he was dreaming something similar. But even then, it was awkward that he was not even aware of what he was doing – and how awkward he was making her feel.   
When he suddenly jerked behind her, and his grip on her side loosened immediately, she knew he had woken up. She quickly closed her eyes to pretend she was asleep. After all: as he let go of her, Belle knew that he realized himself that it was not right to press himself against her like he had done, and part of her was relieved when he left the bed.  
It gave her a chance to catch her own breath, and it gave her heart the chance to slow down too.   
But, curious as she was, she wondered where he had gone, and she sat up to look into the room. Only a few candles were lit and she could not see him anywhere, but she saw that the door to the study stood slightly ajar, and she heard him moaning softly from within.  
Unable to ignore her curiosity, Belle crawled out of the bed, the many blankets and hides providing the bed with a buffer so she was able to make it out without making a sound. As she walked on her socks to the door, she saw him sitting in the darkness of his study, his back almost completely turned and his posture nowhere near as composed as it usually was. As he moaned, he nearly seemed to move out of the chair in the agony that he had to be feeling. His labored breathing made her believe that he was in some sort of pain, and she was very close to opening the door a little wider to go to him and ask him what was wrong.   
But then another sound – one that sounded like wetness – reached her ears, and it made her cheeks burn as she saw the movement of his right shoulder at the same time. Though she could not see it from where she was standing, she knew what he was tending to, and she wondered if it always looked so painful. His face – from the unclear angle she could see it – seemed to contract in pain, and the jerks of his legs made her feel bad for him. His breathing became more ragged with each passing second, and when a moan that was louder than the others escaped his mouth and he was completely still, Belle immediately returned to the bed, hiding underneath the blankets.   
It only took him a few minutes to return to her, and he noticed how she felt much colder than usual. He did not think about it too much, and he fell asleep nearly instantly, exhausted from his release.  
Belle, however, could not sleep. She thought of what she had seen and wondered what it all meant. Well-read or not, Belle knew little of men in that regard, and she could only assume that he had released his seeds. She supposed that she would too, if she had been a man and felt as pained as he did to keep it all in.   
Even though she felt a soft throbbing between her legs, she ignored it. She supposed that it was because thinking of sexual arousal made her equally excited, but she did not feel the same need to listen to her body instead of her brain.   
If anything, then she was grateful for Rumplestiltskin’s self-control. She knew that a normal pirate would not have had the same self-restraint, but Rumplestiltskin was amazingly kind and respectful in that aspect. She was certain that his humping had been an accident, something his unconscious had instructed him to do – and she knew this was the truth, because the moment he had woken up, he had left her to relief himself in the other room. His action had not caused him to lose any of Belle’s respect. Instead, he had won a little more.

In the week that followed, Belle did not shy away from him, and nothing at all betrayed what she had seen. If anything, she relaxed even more in his presence, and it made his attraction for her grow by the hour. He now retreated daily from the room and it did not go unnoticed to her how awkward he walked when he left in those moments, and when he wasn’t looking, she even dared to watch the bulge in his pants, noticing how it was biggest in the moments before he went to his study.  
Sometimes, she went to listen by the door, and she could pick up the sound of his soft moaning each time. Part of her even regretted that he closed the door behind him then, as she very much dreamed of watching him – not because she was attracted to him, or that was what she told herself, but because the idea of him releasing his seeds by himself fascinated her. She was only vaguely familiar with the term masturbation – she knew what it was. She had even done it herself a few times in her life, at times when she had been unable to stop thinking of a particularly well-written hero from one of her books, and had hoped that he would come to take her away from her father’s palace. She had spent so many nights dreaming of such a hero, who would take her away so that they could embark on adventures, explore the world, run into many dangers, and he would rescue her over and over, and she would thank him with kisses and her virtue. But those had been dreams about a fictional character - and she had never had those feelings for anyone she had known in real life.  
If she were honest, then she knew that she did not feel that way about Rumplestiltskin right now. He was nothing like the heroes in her stories. For starters, he was much older than her, and though Belle knew there were many young women that got married off to older men, she did not see him as a potential husband. If anything, then he was beginning to become a friend, but certainly nothing more than that. Their relationship was just… different.   
On the morning before they would crossover, Rumplestiltskin suddenly cleared his throat as they sat by the table.   
“Belle, there is something I want to discuss with you.”  
She looked up from her bowl of oatmeal and raised her eyebrows.  
“Yes, Rumplestiltskin?”  
He smiled gently because of the innocent way in which she looked at him. His princess was so beautiful – so polite – it filled his heart with light, and he was glad for it. He had not been this happy since he had lost Bae – and he knew that because of her, he was getting closer to his son every day.   
“Tonight we will cross over again… And I want to leave you a choice. You can stay in this room – in the cot – and I will protect it with an anti-gravity spell so that you won’t feel the rocking of the ship so badly. It will feel a bit like you’re floating, but you can’t leave the cot during that moment. Perhaps you could even find some sleep that way. Then your other choice is to remain by my side on deck – but as you noticed last time, that can get very rough. Not to mention that it will be tiring and you cannot leave my side until it is over – and there’s no telling how long it will last.”  
She bit her lip as she thought about it, and Rumplestiltskin felt his heart flutter as he watched her. Her pink dress brought out the color in her cheeks beautifully, and he felt completely mesmerized by her presence.   
“I’ll stay by you,” she suddenly replied with a huge smile on her face. “I want to see the crossover again – I want to bask in the moonlight as we switch worlds!”  
Seeing her so eager - not to mention poetic - caused him to smile as well, and he felt nothing but butterflies in his stomach. Before he could stop himself, he asked: “Belle… Are you happy here? With me?”  
The sudden change of subject caused her to blink a few times, and she looked at him curiously. Her heart had started to pound in her throat because of it, and it only took her a few seconds to nod.  
“Yes I am,” she replied softly, before she looked into her bowl of breakfast. “Though I must admit that I miss my father sometimes… I wish I could just tell him I’m alright… That he does not need to fear that I’m miserable.”  
Sighing sadly, her gaze wandered off, and as she stared at the table, it was obvious that she was seeing much sadder things in front of her eyes. The memory of her past and the love for her father was haunting her, and as always, she managed to stir Rumplestiltskin’s compassion. At times like that, it wasn’t the Dark One who replied to her, and he gently told her: “Sending messages to other worlds is difficult… But not completely impossible…” He offered her a hopeful smile. “I will keep my eyes open for a means to do so… But it might take many months before we find a way.”  
That promise caused her heart to swell, and she pushed her chair backwards before she rushed over to him, throwing her arms around him as she hugged him close.   
Awkwardly, he put his arms around her while he sat and she stood, bent over so their heads were at the same level, and he closed his eyes to smell her hair. The delicious scent almost caused him to moan, and when she pulled back, her beautiful smile caused him to feel the tightness in his pants. He quickly offered an apology as he left her to have breakfast on her own, and retreated to his study.  
“This is ridiculous,” he muttered to himself as he sat down and opened up his pants. His appearance changed to his scaly one as he took his member in his hand and started his jerking. “You can’t even keep it together for longer than twenty-four hours now… You know she’s not here to please you in this way, so put it out of your mind that she one day will… She’d think of you as pathetic if she knew about this.”  
But even as he scolded himself, his erection did not grow softer. Her scent had caused an arousal that would not leave him until he had come, and he sped up his jerks until his white release spilled over his hand and a low moan escaped his mouth.   
Opening his eyes, he cleaned up the mess with an impatient wave of his hand, and he looked towards the door, glad to see that it was still closed. If she ever saw this or found out, he would die of embarrassment.  
Little did he know that she already knew, and she was gloating with pride in the next room because of it.


	14. Skeletons and Other Monsters

That night, the ship chased a bright light again. This time it wasn’t a purple one, but a yellow one, and as Belle stood behind the wheel, with Rumplestiltskin in his scaly appearance right behind her, she felt more excited than ever. He let her steer the ship, and this time the waves did not frighten her, but instead, they caused her to laugh in amusement. The wilder the waves got, the more they made her stomach turn, but she kept on laughing because of it and she was glad that she could share that laughter with Rumplestiltskin.   
It was a good thing they were having fun, because the yellow light wasn’t willing to let them cross over so easily. Rumplestiltskin had spent many nights chasing lights like this – and usually he would have grown irritated by now. But with Belle by his side, he felt surprisingly calm and confident – and he was enjoying himself more and more with every minute, standing close behind her, making sure she didn’t fall, helping her to steer the ship whenever the wheel became too heavy for her, secretly inhaling her scent whenever she brushed against him…   
Many hours passed before they were able to get close enough, and once they hit the light and the light of the moon surrounded them, they both held still in anticipation. As the crossover was about to begin, Belle held on tightly to Rumplestiltskin, gasping softly when he picked her up in his arms. For a moment they looked at each other in the bright light, and with his arms around her, it seemed to Belle like one of her dreams, where the hero lifted her up to carry her to safety.  
Sure, Rumplestiltskin looked like a demon, but as her eyes wondered to his lips, she wondered how he saw her – and more importantly: himself. Did he think of himself as her hero, or as the monster holding her captive? Did he see her as a whiny damsel in distress – or as a noble princess he would give his life for? He respected her more than any man she had ever met, and she wondered if it was a dream of his to become her prince – even if his true form was that of a beast. But did she even know what he dreamed about at all? Was she a part of his dreams, or just someone he wanted to spend time with until his dreams came true?  
Her silly thoughts were violently disturbed when they started to fall down, and she clung to him tightly as the ship fell in the waters below them, and they floated to its deck.   
Even though the moon was still shining, there was a mist over the waters, blocking their view of their surroundings.   
Rumplestiltskin gently sat Belle down on her own two feet before he turned around; trying to figure out what world they had come to this time. As Belle looked up at the moon, she suddenly saw a dozen birds fly by in its light, and she felt mesmerized. As they suddenly seemed to change their path to fly towards them, a gut feeling came over her. Something was wrong.   
“Bats,” she suddenly said, recognizing the creatures as they started screeching.  
Looking up, Rumplestiltskin’s heart stopped beating for a moment, and he immediately realized what world they had come to.   
“Watch out!” he shouted, and he shot a ball of fire towards the creatures, which caused them to spread out and reveal their true forms. They turned into pale men and women, all dressed in black, their capes spreading out like wings – if they were capes at all. Their skin was colorless and pale, and even their tongues and eyes appeared gray as they screeched loudly, causing Belle to cover her ears.   
“Vampires!” Rumplestiltskin cried out, and Belle noticed how all the Black Bones suddenly drew their swords.  
Belle suddenly felt something yank at her hair, and as she cried out in pain, Rumplestiltskin hurried closer and shot a fireball at the male vampire that had made Belle his target. The dark creature screeched painfully as he stood ablaze, and before they could engage in a further battle, Rumplestiltskin had closed the last steps between himself and Belle and put his arms around her. She gasped before he whisked them both away to their cabin in a whirl of purple smoke. Once inside, Rumplestiltskin opened the door to his cabinet, and ushered Belle inside. “Quickly, princess!” he hissed. “You’ll be safe here! Nobody can open this door but me!”  
With her heart pounding in her throat, and her head still hurting from the way the vampire had pulled her hair, she did as she was told, and once he closed the door of the cabinet behind her, she was all alone in the darkness, listening for anything that could tell her what was going on. The sounds that came from the deck did nothing to comfort her, as she heard the clattering of swords and the loud screeches and cries of the vampires. She heard the Black Bones run over the deck, though it could have been Rumplestiltskin or the vampires as well, and she tightly wrapped her arms around her legs as she prayed for her companion’s safety.   
Her biggest fear was that he would be unable to fight them all off, and she trembled because of it, trying not to cry.  
What godforsaken world had they come to? Even if Rumplestiltskin survived now, Belle worried about their well-being if they would be forced to spend a month in a world infested by vampires. Would all nights be like this? With bats flying around, looking for their next targets?   
Fifteen minutes passed before silence returned, but it felt like an eternity to Belle, and when she noticed how the door to the cabinet opened, she felt her heart race in fear. She knew Rumplestiltskin was powerful, but as far as she knew, those vampires were strong as well. If anything, there had been many of them, and though he had been in the company of the Black Bones, Rumplestiltskin had been the only one with magic to overpower the vampires. She had no way to know for certain that it was him opening the door.  
As she shied away from whoever opened the door, she blinked her eyes, trying to see who it was.  
“The coast is clear,” a familiar voice assured her, and as she emerged from the cabinet, she cried softly as she threw her arms around Rumplestiltskin.   
“It’s okay,” he tried to assure her, his voice full of compassion as he rubbed her back. “They won’t be back…”  
As she let go of him, she noticed how his clothes were covered in a gray liquid – vampire blood, and for a moment she startled. It appeared that her companion wasn’t injured though, but his clothes, mostly the hems around his right shoulder, were ripped, and she wiped away some blood of his scaly cheek, relieved that it wasn’t his. Letting out a shaky breath, he put his hand on her cheek as well, and as she leaned into his touch with teary eyes, he smiled.   
“You’re safe now. The ship will protect us. Besides, we’re close to the mainland here, but once we’re further at sea, there won’t be any vampires to disturb us.”  
She nodded bravely, but the truth was that she felt terrified. She had been so excited about seeing a new world and uncovering its secrets, that she had not considered how horrible some worlds could be. This was all too horrifying for her. She had no desire to run into vampires ever again.   
“Your clothes,” Belle said weakly, pointing to the blood on his brown cloak.   
“Ah…” Rumplestiltskin said with a guilty expression, noticing how her clothes also had some bloodstains after their hug. “Well… At least the weather is a little more agreeable here. No more freezing nights, though I think it’s not quite time to put the stove away yet during the night.” He offered her a courageous smile, and she returned it, even though she felt rather out of her element and it did not go unnoticed.  
“Belle…” he said compassionately, taking her hands. “My sweet princess… It’s okay. It’s over.”  
Though he was kinder than ever, she could not fight back her tears. “I was so scared!” she admitted, sobbing. “I feared that you would not make it out alive, and that eventually the vampires would find me in that cabinet – and I’d never be able to leave!”  
“Shh… Be still, my sweetheart, you’re safe here…” He tried to pull her closer for a comforting hug, but she resisted and stepped away from him, feeling upset.   
“But what if it had gone wrong? What if you would have died? I would have been stuck in an alien world I knew nothing about – with a crew of skeletons I don’t know how to control and a bunch of vampires I don’t know how to fight!”  
Rumplestiltskin felt her pain, and merely looked at her, noticing how distressed that idea made her.   
“Belle, listen to me,” he said softly. “I can’t die. Not from fighting vampires, at least. I put you in this cabinet so I could go off to fight them, without having to worry that they would get to you while I had my back turned. I needed to get you to safety first, do you understand that?”  
She nodded weakly, her heart still racing as the tears streamed down her face.   
“If ever I need to put you in this cabinet again, then you can rest assured that I will be the one to help you out of it – nobody else.”  
She had not stopped nodding, or crying for that matter, and with a wave of his hand, Rumplestiltskin changed into his black nightgown, before he waved his hand over her and she was wearing her white one again. There was no trace of the blood, and Belle shivered from the cold for a moment.   
“Come,” he said compassionately as he led her to the bed, his appearance changing to his human one once more. “It’s almost morning. You’re exhausted. You’ll feel better after some sleep, and I’ll teach you more about the Black Bones – and about this world – I promise you that it’s not all as horrible as you fear. You see…” He gave her an encouraging smile. “The people here are very literate. And there are many books about vampires, werewolves and dozens of other monsters you’ve never heard about!”  
She smiled softly at those words, though she still shivered from fear and cold. “And eh… Those monsters are all fictional?”  
Rumplestiltskin gulped, realizing that perhaps this world was a bit too terrifying for the innocent princess.   
“No,” he replied, a nervous cough leaving his mouth at the same time. “But!” He held up a finger and an excited grin spread over his face. “I am more than a match for them! They won’t be able to hurt you. That is my promise to you, princess!”  
She smiled with tears in her eyes, and after a brief nod, she crawled into bed. He was close behind her, and stroked her hair in a comforting motion as he had propped himself up on one elbow.   
“Don’t be scared, princess…” he whispered softly in her ear, and she closed her eyes as she felt how his breath against her skin made her entire body tingle. “I promise I will protect you. I will keep you safe at all costs. You are my greatest treasure, and I will not let anyone or anything ever harm you. I’ll keep you safe.”  
Belle gulped and she opened her eyes once more as she realized that perhaps, this monster, her captor, this complicated man, was exactly like the knights she had been waiting for. Despite his age and power, he seemed to value her more than anyone ever had, and she was aware of the nervous knot in her stomach. Perhaps she would be capable of love – true love – if she would get to know him better and brought out that aspect of him.   
“I’ll keep you safe too,” she whispered, and as she turned to look at him, she saw his confused look. Smiling, she continued: “Maybe I am weak… And maybe I do not know how to fight… But I will stand by your side, no matter what monsters we face…”  
The soft way in which she spoke those words made his eyes focus on her lips, and with her so close against him, he needed all his self-restraint in order not to move his lips towards her. If he’d watched her eyes, then he would have noticed that she was looking at his mouth as well.   
“Good night, princess,” he suddenly said, lowering his arm as he rested his head on his pillow, and Belle turned away from him again, hiding her disappointment.  
“Good night, Rumplestiltskin…”


	15. Ready for a Fight

When Belle woke, the memories of the night before all came flooding back to her, and wondering if Rumplestiltskin was exhausted from fighting those vampires, she turned to watch him. He wasn’t sleeping though, and he smiled as her gaze met his.   
“Are you well rested?” he asked her gently, and she nodded.   
“Yes,” she muttered, her voice still deep with sleep. “Just a little lazy.”   
He chuckled. “Well… I’ll give you some time to wake up properly. I’ve got something special planned for you today.”  
“Do you?” she asked him, intrigued.   
He nodded as he rolled away from her, and as he stood from the bed, he clapped his hands together to transform into something to wear for the day. He once more wore black leather, like he had during their first days together, and with a snap of his fingers, he suddenly summoned new clothes for her.   
He showed them to her as she climbed out of bed as well, and she looked at them with raised eyebrows.   
“I hope you’re not opposed to wearing pants, princess?” he asked her carefully, and she laughed because of it.   
“Do I look so shocked? No… It’s perfect.”  
Taking the clothes from him, she wondered what had inspired him to summon such adventurous clothing for her. The brown pants looked pretty enough, and the Bordeaux-red blouse was beautifully decorated by studs and other things that would make her look just as tough and dangerous as he did.   
Before he transformed back, he suddenly remembered something, and he snapped his fingers to make a pair of leather boots appear in his hands.  
“Proper shoes are very important if you are to learn how to fight. You’ll need a good balance, and I’m afraid your heels would cause you to injure yourself.”  
Belle’s eyes grew large, and she looked at him eagerly.   
“You’re going to teach me how to fight?” she asked him in an amazed voice.   
He nodded with a small, delighted smile on his face. “Yes, princess. Now, I might not have had much battle experience in my own life, but the Dark One has. I could share a hundred tips and tricks.”  
She could not hide the excited smile from her face, and Rumplestiltskin looked at her like the love-sick imp he was, before he remembered himself to transform back into his human form, and even Belle noticed the blush on his cheeks before he turned away from her, his hands running over the oak table, tracing invisible patterns to appear busy.   
“So eh…” She looked at him curiously. “You’re saying that the Dark One is older than you are?”  
His cheeks flushed even more, and he had to compose himself before he replied, turning his head slightly to look at her. “Oh. Eh… Yes. Several lifetimes, in fact.”  
“So who is the one that has been sailing for a hundred years?” she continued bravely. “Rumplestiltskin – or the Dark One?”  
“Both,” he replied with a small smile. “And could you let me finish now?”  
She chuckled briefly before she nodded. “Of course. My apologies.”  
“One thing I want to add,” he said slowly, clapping his hands together to let his fingers entwine, and he pointed at her sternly. “I will teach you how to fight, but that does not mean I will let you fight vampires by my side. It remains too dangerous, should they attack again… But just in case I can’t reach you in time, you should learn to fend them off, if only long enough for you to call out my name.”  
She quickly bobbed her head up and down, indicating that she understood his motivation, and he looked relieved because of it.   
“Good. Go change then!” he encouraged her, and she took her new clothes with her behind the folding screen.   
While she was getting dressed, Rumplestiltskin summoned them a good breakfast. They had not eaten the night before, and if Belle was going to learn how to fight, she would need all the energy she could get.   
Bacon, eggs, sausages, warm tomatoes and mushrooms awaited Belle when she appeared to him in her new clothes, and for a moment his breath was taken away. She had tied her hair together behind her back, and it made her look tougher than ever before, but at the same time she remained as lovable as always.  
“Looks good!” she remarked as she sat on her side of the table, her mouth watering as she looked at her plate.   
“So do you,” he replied, and as she looked up in alarm, he averted his eyes like the coward he was, nearly instantly regretting those words.  
But she did not scold him. Instead, she sounded rather shy when she replied: “Thank you.”

After their breakfast, and a brief introduction into swords, Rumplestiltskin handed Belle her very own cutlass before they made it to the deck.  
Belle noticed how gray and misty it was, and she couldn’t even see the sun, but it was obviously day already.   
The Black Bones were also out on the deck, sailing the ship to their next destination, though Belle had no idea what else lay in the sea, she could hardly see to any side of the ship. It was just too misty to have a good view.   
Noticing the way she looked around, Rumplestiltskin’s appearance turned scaly while he moved his hands to drive the mist away. Watching the gentle movement of his hands, Belle noticed how the mist cleared around them, until she could even see the horizon. Confused, Belle looked at the gray sky and the equally colorless water beneath it.   
“What a bleak place,” she remarked, her cutlass still in her hand as she walked over to the edge of the ship and gazed into the water. “There’s hardly any color here…”  
“There isn’t,” he agreed, moving to stand beside her. “That’s what I call this world: the Land without Color.”  
She looked at him, keeping quiet, but her eyes told him that she was begging for more information on their whereabouts.   
“The land – and everyone on it – is colorless. In this part of the world, the only thing that is colored is this ship – and us on it.”  
Belle found that hard to imagine. “How is that possible?” she wondered. His smile assured her that he had the answer, and she kept quiet once more.   
“There used to be color in this world,” he told her. “But hundreds of years ago, a dark force drained this world of its color – its magic – and it did not return it. Eventually, people stopped believing that there had ever been such a thing as color in their world.”  
“Sounds horrible,” Belle muttered.  
“It is,” he agreed. “And the absence of magic gave other dark creatures, such as werewolves and vampires, free reign. Without magic to contain them, they are a true plague in the more abandoned parts of the world. I fear we are in such a part,” he admitted. “Many continents on this world are undiscovered – at least by the human inhabitants. There, you will find that vampires and werewolves run wild.”  
Belle gulped as she heard that. “I guess that means we won’t be going for daily walks anymore?” she asked carefully, and Rumplestiltskin chuckled, shaking his head.   
“Afraid not, my princess. We might make a few excursions, but I’d rather wait until the moon isn’t so full anymore. But in the meanwhile, I think you’ll find that we have no reason to bore ourselves. You have much to learn, and the exercise will leave you so fatigued that excursions will be the last thing on your mind.”  
She giggled at those words. “I guess you’re right. I’m not particularly used to physical exercise.”  
“Well then…” He said as he drew his own sword. “Let’s get you used to it then. Follow my lead.”

Rumplestiltskin showed her how to hold a sword, and how to swing it for maximum damage. At the same time, he spent a lot of attention on her footwork, but thanks to the dancing lessons she had had as a young teen, she knew pretty well how to mirror his.   
After hours of practicing, he noticed the strained way in which she swung her sword, and he wondered if she had injured herself.  
“Hold still for a moment, princess,” he said softly as he moved behind her and sheeted his sword. He let his hands rest on her neck, and noticed how she tensed up for a moment, but as she figured out what he was doing, she relaxed, and to Rumplestiltskin it was a sign of trust he was grateful for.   
As he softly massaged her neck, he felt where her muscles were getting stuck. While she could not see him, he transformed into his scaly self, and let his purple glowing hand heal the tense muscles.  
She closed her eyes and moaned softly, and Rumplestiltskin’s eyes widened because of it.   
Changing back to his human self, he let go of her, and she turned around, looking at him with gratitude in her eyes.   
“I guess that’s enough for today, isn’t it?” he asked softly, and she smiled and nodded in agreement. “Why don’t you go and relax a bit? I’ll join you soon enough.”  
She turned to walk to the cabin, but before she left the deck, she suddenly turned back to him and curtsied him, which looked a little silly while she wasn’t wearing a skirt.   
“Thank you for your lesson, master,” she said teasingly, and as she disappeared into the cabin, he knew his cheeks had turned crimson once more.


	16. A Skeleton's Face

For five days, nothing extraordinary happened aboard the ship. Belle’s routine was simple: getting dressed, breakfast, sword fighting, lunch, some more sword fighting, a bit of reading, dinner, some more reading and sleep. A few times she took a bath after dinner, but other than that they stuck to the same rhythm. While Belle read, Rumplestiltskin would spin by the wheel, and sometimes he would leave her alone, and she had no idea if he was in his study, on deck or somewhere half a continent away from her in those moments.  
On the sixth day, just as Belle grabbed her cutlass after they had finished breakfast, Rumplestiltskin called her name. Turning towards him, she saw how he approached her with a black cloak in his hands, and he put it around her shoulders, causing her to look at him with a confused gaze in her eyes.  
“I thought we could go for a walk today,” he said hopefully. “You have made tremendous progress, and you deserve a day to let it all sink in. I’ve found quite a beautiful forest yesterday evening, and I believe it to be safe.”  
The thoughtful way in which he said those words, caused her to smile, and she bowed her head respectfully.   
“Thank you. That sounds wonderful indeed!”   
He put another black cloak around his own shoulders, and wrapped his arms around her. She moved to stand a little closer to him and held her breath, knowing what was going to follow.   
Once the smoke of his magic cleared, they stood by a small stream, and as Belle gazed through the trees, she could see that there were hills in the distance, and they were in a colorless valley. The lack of color was disturbing to behold, and she looked at her own hands, that only seemed to be colored brighter because of it.   
“So strange…” she muttered. “To be in a world without color... Are there many other worlds out there as strange as this one?”  
“Yes. And stranger ones too,” he replied mysteriously as he offered her his arm. When she took it, and looked around her with her mouth open, her gaze like that of a child, he felt fortunate to spend his days in her presence. It was so nice to have someone like her by his side while he waited to be reunited with Baelfire.

 

They returned home by lunchtime, and while Belle decided to continue her reading, Rumplestiltskin left the cabin. As hours passed, Belle wondered where he was, and unable to wait any longer, she knocked on the door to his study. She knew better than to barge in there, aware that he sometimes retreated to his study to do that which he always tried to hide. But as nobody replied, she dared to open the door, only to find the room empty.   
Making her way over to the deck, she noticed that Rumplestiltskin wasn’t there and that only the Black Bones were outside. They ignored her as she moved among them and looked out over the ocean. She had no idea how far they were from the main land, but they had not seen any land since they had arrived here, and Belle wondered if there would be a change of scenery by the time the month was over.   
As she stood at the front of the ship, she let the wind blow through her hair, and she closed her eyes to enjoy the feeling. It wasn’t particularly cold, and it even felt like spring to Belle. After minutes of standing so, she made her way to the wheel, and looked at the Black Bone that stood behind it. His clothes were ragged and torn, and as she looked to her side, she saw another skeleton sitting on a barrel and tending to a ripped sail. He was hunched over while he held the sail in front of his face, almost as though he was actually _watching_ it.   
A sudden idea came to her, and she hurried into the cabin. When she emerged five minutes later, she had a needle and some thread from one of Rumplestiltskin’s cupboards with her, and she made her way to the Black Bone behind the wheel without hesitation. “Would you like me to fix your vest?” she asked him hopefully, showing him the thread and needle.   
The Black Bone turned its head, and so did the one that had been mending the sail. They seemed to look at each other for a moment, and Belle feared that it had been a stupid idea, until the Black Bone suddenly shrugged off his vest, and handed it to her.   
With a happy smile on her face, Belle went to sit on a nearby chest, turning the vest inside-out before she started mending the many holes in it. She had never been particularly talented when it came to needle-work, but several of her old servants had taken the time to teach her how to do it – hoping that it would make her read a little less, but to her reading had always held more appeal.   
As night started to fall and it grew darker, she suddenly startled when a Black Bone put up a lantern above her head, illuminating her work. She smiled gracefully and bowed her head. “Thank you,” she whispered, and she looked at the Black Bone in surprise as he sat next to her and continued mending the sail in his hand.   
The calm way in which the skeleton continued his work besides her, made her wonder just how aware these creatures were of their surroundings, and if they grew lonely as well, like Rumplestiltskin.   
“Where does that sail actually go?” she asked him curiously – more curious about the way in which the skeleton would reply, than the actual answer.  
The skeleton turned its black head towards her, before he lifted his bony finger to the top of the mast behind them.   
“That high, huh?” she replied softly. “Will you put it there yourself?”  
The skeleton nodded slowly before he continued his work, and Belle felt rather bad that she could not watch his expression. Was he happy? Sad? Indifferent? Unable to stop herself, she briefly touched his bony shoulder, and he seemed to startle because of it.  
Her gaze was sad as she looked at him, and when he suddenly pointed his finger to her head, she frowned.   
“What is it?” she wondered. “Why are you pointing at me?”  
He slowly moved his bony finger closer to her forehead, and Belle held her breath. When he touched the spot between her eyebrows, she suddenly felt a shiver flow through her, and when she looked at him, it was like she could see two eyes staring back at her, and not just two gaping holes inside a skull.  
The longer he kept his finger on her forehead, the clearer the vision became in front of her, and Belle could see his black eyes, and his white shining teeth in a round, exotic face. His hair was black and shiny, and his skin a few shades darker than her own. Belle wasn’t certain if his skin was brown or red, or something in-between, and she even saw an animal’s tooth dangling from his ear – an earpiece that was missing in reality.  
Smiling at him, she saw the young man return her smile even wider, and Belle was about to ask him a question, when she heard a familiar voice snap: “What do you think you’re doing?”  
The skeleton immediately let go of Belle, and she saw nothing but a black skull in front of her once more. Turning around, she noticed how Rumplestiltskin walked towards them in a few large steps, his expression agitated.  
The skeleton immediately took his sail and ran off, making sure he got as far away from Rumplestiltskin as was possible, and Belle got up so she could block Rumplestiltskin’s pursuit.   
“Get out of the way, Belle,” he said harshly, but instead of doing as he asked, she put her hand on his.  
“He didn’t hurt me or anything,” she tried to assure him, and when Rumplestiltskin looked at her with a confused expression, she realized that he had never been afraid he’d hurt her in the first place.   
“What did he show you?” he demanded to know, his voice calming down a little as he narrowed his eyes at her.   
“Nothing,” Belle replied, before she admitted: “His face – that’s all.”  
He took a few deep breaths as he looked at her, trying to figure out if there was a reason to get mad at her or not.   
“Alright,” he finally muttered, and he held his finger in front of her as he continued: “But if I see one of them touching you _ever_ again, I’m holding _you_ responsible for it. The Black Bones got a job to do, and that job doesn’t include socializing with you.”  
Belle was rather upset by the stern way in which he spoke to her. In her own opinion, the skeleton had hardly done her any harm, and she didn’t see why it was bad to socialize with them.   
“Fine,” she replied, snapping at him. “I’ll just sit in the cabin while you’re gone and talk to myself all day instead. That’s _so_ much more fun.”   
She bitterly grabbed the vest from the chest, and handed it to the skeleton behind the helm before she rushed down the stairs.   
Rumplestiltskin felt like he had been whipped. He wasn’t certain how to reply, and he looked at the skeleton as he put on his vest again, noticing how the vest had been mended by the young princess.   
He froze when he suddenly heard a scream from below, and when he turned his gaze to the lower deck, he saw bats flying around – and one of them had already revealed his vampire form as he pulled Belle’s hair.   
“Let go!” she cried, and she stamped on the vampire’s foot with all of her weight.   
The creature shrieked in pain for a moment, and while Rumplestiltskin shot a ball of fire at him, another vampire – a female one – lifted Belle into the air as she flew up, intending to make her escape with the young princess.   
“Rumplestiltskin!” Belle cried in terror, and as the vampire turned her back to fly off with her loot, Rumplestiltskin shot another ball of fire towards her. This caused the foul creature to shriek and let go of Belle, and the princess screamed as she plunged into the cold water of the ocean below, just off the starboard bow.   
Rumplestiltskin’s heart pounded in his throat as he realized that he did not know if she could swim, but he used the seconds that followed to set all vampires ablaze. One by one, they transformed in front of his eyes, and after a dozen more fireballs, they finally rushed off in defeat. Rumplestiltskin ran to the edge of the ship, and immediately noticed Belle as she was splashing in the water and tried to keep herself from going under.   
Without a moment’s hesitation, he jumped in after her, the cold water hardly bothering one as powerful as him, and once he had her in his arms, he whisked to the deck, where he laid her down as she coughed up some water.   
“Are you alright?” he asked her, his tone worried as he wiped the hair from her face, and several skeletons approached to watch the scene, their cutlasses in hand in case any of the vampires decided to return.   
She nodded weakly. “I can’t swim,” she whispered, coughing a little, though it did not seem like she had swallowed a lot of water.   
“You were doing pretty alright,” he replied, unable to hide that he was glad that she was still with him.   
She looked at him with gratitude in her eyes, glad that he had jumped in after her, and smiled softly.   
“I have read about swimming,” she admitted, looking at him hopefully, and he chuckled in relief.  
Grateful to have her in his arms, he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, and she closed her eyes as she allowed herself to relax once more.   
“Let’s get you out of these wet things,” he continued, lifting her up in his arms as he carried her towards the cabin.   
Part of her wanted to stop him and tell him that she was still capable of walking there herself, but the part that won out did not agree. She wanted him to carry her like this. She wanted him to comfort her. Sighing softly, she closed her eyes in relief and tightly held onto him as she rested her head on his shoulder.   
_Her hero._  

_art by me_


	17. Her Hero

They were both soaking wet as Rumplestiltskin carried her into the cabin, and he immediately noticed the way in which she was trembling.  
“Don’t worry, princess,” he told her gently. “I’ll get you warm in a minute.”  
He set her down on her own two feet and was about to take a step back so he could focus on his magic when she suddenly grabbed the hem of his leather vest, keeping him close to her as tears started streaming down her face. “What’s wrong?” he immediately asked, his voice compassionate as he tried to wipe her tears away.   
“I’ve learned nothing,” she said bitterly. “All those sword-fighting lessons… Wasted… Because when it came to it, I was hardly able to resist those vampires. I’m still useless and weak, and if you had not been there, I would have been dead by now.”  
Watching her tears fall so freely down her cheeks, he hugged her close. As she closed her eyes once more and returned the hug, he used her proximity to hide the fact that he changed into his scaly appearance, and with her in his arms, he whisked the water from their clothes and put some more coals on the stove before turning back to his human form.  
“You’re being too hard on yourself,” he whispered. “You’ve only been getting these lessons for a few days. And you did not have your sword on you when it all happened.”  
“I usually don’t have a sword on me,” she replied, pouting against his vest.   
“Belle,” he continued quietly, smiling softly as he thought her sadness was a little endearing. “There is always going to be someone stronger than you, someone with more experience and more strength… But you have something that other people don’t have…”  
She pulled back from him as she looked at him curiously, wondering what it was that he meant.   
He suddenly giggled before he exclaimed: “Me!”  
Unable to resist his giggle, Belle smiled as well, and she shook her head in disbelief. He had quite the inappropriate timing for his jokes sometimes, but she was able to appreciate it none the less.   
He continued a little more seriously: “As horribly egotistical as it sounds, it’s the truth. In most worlds, nobody will be more powerful than me. This world holds no exception. I will always protect you to the best of my abilities. If you cannot protect yourself, then I will. You have my word.”  
“My hero,” she whispered as she looked at him with a soft expression in her eyes, but the shock on Rumplestiltskin’s face betrayed that he felt like those words had whipped him. He had heard many things in his life, but never before had anyone called him a hero – not even when he had brought an end to the Ogre Wars.  
An awkward smile spread over his cheeks, and Belle noticed how she was all dried up again. Narrowing her eyes, she looked at him. “You used magic just now.”  
He nodded, and she shook her head as she released a deep sigh.   
“What I do not understand,” she began, “Is how someone as powerful as you would bother to take a clumsy fool like me along on his adventure… I’m of no use to you. If anything, I’ll only hold you down and give you reasons to worry.”  
“Don’t say that,” he said quietly. “You are worth so much more than you know.”  
If she was, then she certainly did not feel like it. Maybe in the Enchanted Forest, she had had some value. She could imagine that a pirate would have asked a high ransom to return her home. But here, in this world without color, she held no purpose at all.   
“Am I?” she wondered sadly as she went to sit down on her chair, and her shoulders were a little hunched over as she stared at her own, small hands. “I can’t fight… I can’t do magic… All I can do, is burden you with the task of saving me, over and over again.”  
He followed her to her seat, and knelt down before her, putting his hands over hers, her soft skin underneath his fingertips making him smile more genuinely than he usually did.  
“My princess,” he whispered. “You _can_ fight – I know you can. I saw the way you kicked that vampire in the foot. That was tough, but you did it.”  
She could not hide the blush that spread on her face, but tried to shrug it off at the same time: “I’m not sure that counts though… It was a pretty lame attempt at fighting back when you consider that the next moment, another had lifted me up in the air and was about to take me to their home, where I would have been defenseless.”  
Rumplestiltskin ignored that remark, for he knew that she was no match for vampires, no matter the amount of training he gave her in combat skills. But determined to make Belle feel better about herself, he repeated: “You _can_ fight. And what you said about magic isn’t true. You _do_ have magic inside you. You just don’t know how to use it.”  
She was unable to believe that and shook her head. “You’re joking.”  
“I swear that I’m not!” he replied with one hand on his heart, smiling. “Why do you think you have color in this world?”  
She shrugged, and he continued eagerly: “Because you have magic, of course!”  
Looking around her as she watched the lifeless but colorful objects around her, she frowned.   
“So you’re saying that the table has magic too? And all those objects in your cupboard?”  
He got up from his knee and looked down at her with a patient smile.   
“This ship has magic,” he explained. “And because it does, everything on it has magic too. But when I took you for a walk – far away from this ship – you held your color. Like I did. It’s a sign that you have a talent for magic, something the people of this world are born without.”  
Narrowing her eyes once more, she wondered: “Is it uncommon then?”  
“In this world it is. Can you imagine a baby with color being born? No, that doesn’t happen here. That’s not the way it works. But in the Enchanted Forest, our home, everybody is born with magic inside of them.”  
“But I can’t do magic,” Belle insisted, frowning. “What use is it to me that I was born with magic inside of me, if I don’t know how to use it?”  
“It’s of no use, no use at all!” Rumplestiltskin said with a giggle. “That is – until you decide to learn it. If you want, I can teach you…”  
He looked so eager to teach her this, and remained completely quiet while he waited for her response. Belle wasn’t certain how to respond to his offer, and opened and closed her mouth a few times before she finally said: “What eh… What will I need to do?”  
“You need to believe,” he replied mysteriously. “And you need to focus on one emotion. Anger usually works best.”  
Belle let out a humored “Ha!” and Rumplestiltskin turned to her with a confused gaze.  
“I’m hardly capable of anger, Rumplestiltskin,” she admitted with a smirk. “How would I channel it to use magic?”  
He noticed how she seemed reluctant to believe that she was capable of doing it, and as he looked around and saw his spinning wheel, he got an idea.   
“I know… What if, after dinner, I teach you how to spin?”  
“Spin gold, you mean?”  
“Let’s start with normal wool first, shall we, princess?” He offered her his hand to shake on it, and she licked her lips in thought.   
“So this is a deal?”  
“Sort of.”  
“Don’t you want anything in return?” she wondered.   
“What have you got to offer?” He wiggled his eyebrows and Belle laughed softly as she noticed it.  
She kept quiet for a few moments, trying to think of a way to repay him, and she was once more reminded that she served little to no purpose to him on this ship.   
“How about…” She looked around for inspiration, and gasped a little as she saw the books she had bought in Arandelle. “I know! How about I read stories to you while you spin. Would you like that?”  
As she held out her hand to him, he immediately grabbed it.   
“Deal! I already look forward to it.”

 

After dinner, Rumplestiltskin kept his word, and he started instructing Belle on how to use his spinning wheel. She had changed into her golden dress once more, and it distracted him a little bit while he tried to teach her how to spin. She wasn’t particularly a natural when it came to spinning, and sometimes she made the same mistakes twice, but she kept on smiling and expressing her gratitude to him for teaching her how to do this. He knew that he would explain it to her a thousand times, if she kept on smiling at him like that.  
It was too soon to teach her how to use magic, especially since she still seemed a bit emotional from their earlier encounter with the pack of vampires, but regardless he enjoyed his time with her. As he rounded up the lesson, she was quick to suggest: “Shall I read to you now?”   
“I was actually thinking of getting an early night’s rest,” he admitted. “But if you’d like to read me a bedtime story, I would not say no to that.”  
She smiled warmly at those words and curtsied him.  
“Then read you a bedtime story, I shall,” she said solemnly. “After I change into my nightgown.”  
As she disappeared behind the folding screen, Rumplestiltskin briefly transformed into his demon self to put on his own nightgown as well with a simple dressing spell. By the time Belle emerged from behind the folding screen, Rumplestiltskin was already waiting for her in bed, and she crawled over his legs in order to get to her side of the bed, a book in her hand.   
Rumplestiltskin closed the curtains with the wave of a scaly hand, and the light in the cot flickered a little more brightly as Belle opened her book.   
As she made herself comfortable, she leaned against him and put the book in her lap. They did not need to say another word, for Belle began reading to him of knights and dragons, and princesses who willingly gave tokens of affection to the hero of the story.   
After she finished the story – after the hero had slain the dragon and married the princess – she closed the book with a sigh, and Rumplestiltskin chuckled in amusement.   
“Dreaming of the hero of the story already?” he wondered. “I could swear I heard you swoon a few times.”  
She playfully nudged him in the ribs, and he pretended to be hurt.   
“Shut it, Rumplestiltskin,” she said teasingly, and he chuckled a little louder.   
“I’m just saying that there were a few paragraphs about his hair that were rather unnecessary.”  
Belle laughed so loud that Rumplestiltskin startled for a moment, and as she noticed it she took his hand and smiled warmly. “Not jealous, are you?” she joked playfully, and he leaned a little closer to her as he asked mysteriously: “Should I be?”  
She looked at him for a few seconds before she shook her head gently and reached out to touch his hair.  
“Nah,” she replied softly. “I think your hair is just as dashing. And very soft…”  
She was actually quite surprised by this. She could not remember ever touching someone’s hair, but it was surprising how soft his felt compared to her own curly hair.  
He froze as she touched his hair so sweetly, and almost leaned into her hand. Luckily, he was able to stop himself in time, but he could not tear his eyes away from hers as she looked at him.   
“I’m not a hero though…” he reminded her, his voice hardly more than a whisper. “If I was not the Dark One as well, you wouldn’t like my hair either.”  
She frowned, unable to make sense of his logic. “What do you mean?” she asked quietly.   
“It wouldn’t be so well-groomed, I guess,” he replied breathlessly, still feeling like he was completely lost in her eyes. As always, those blue orbs seemed to be dragging the truth from him, and he could not remember ever finding it so easy to talk to someone.   
She smiled sweetly as he said that, and once more stroked his hair. “Then tell me,” she continued. “What sort of man were you before you became the Dark One?”  
His eyes widened a little at that question, and he pulled away from her, trying to make sense of how she had known that he had not always been the Dark One. She certainly had not known much about the Dark One when she had first met him – and he had always tried to dodge her more direct questions on the subject – but then how could she know now that he had once been an ordinary man?  
She seemed to be able to follow his line of thought, just by looking at him, and she quickly assured him: “I read about it in one of your magic books,” she explained. “About how it was Zoso before you.”  
His eyes widened even more.   
“That’s in one of my books?” he asked, completely flabbergasted.

She could not resist a smile, finding it a bit funny how he had not known this himself. “Yes,” she replied. “It mentioned a spell that was so difficult that only one with the power of Zoso – the Dark One – would be able to execute it without dying in the process.”   
He still looked at her like he was unable to believe that, and she suddenly crawled over him to get out of the bed.  
Shocked, he remained where he was and stared in front of him, and when she returned with a heavy tome, she placed it in his lap before she crawled to her own spot again and put the blanket back over her. Opening the book as it lay in his lap, she looked at him encouragingly before she indicated the paragraph that mentioned the Dark One. “Read it!”  
He grabbed the book a little closer as he tried to read it, squinting his eyes with some difficulty, and he slowly read: “This spell… should… to - I mean – not… be at… atte-… attempted… without… suff-… suffick-… sufficky-…”  
“Sufficient,” she corrected him, her tone betraying how shocked she was by how much effort it took him to read.    
Hearing her tone, he slammed the book shut, agitated by how he was allowing her to make a fool of himself, and he crossed his arms in front of his chest as he stared at the book with narrowed eyes. As she opened her mouth to say something, he suddenly turned to her and looked at her sternly: “I don’t need your pity.”  
Gulping, she shook her head. She would not offer him pity – that had never been her intention. Careful not to insult him further, she took a deep breath first. “How about my help?” she offered. “I could read it to you – and you could read along. I’m sure you’d get better with practice.”  
“I’m not an idiot,” he snapped. “It’s not as simple as you make it sound.”  
“Why isn’t it?” she asked softly. “Please…” She gently touched his shoulder as she turned to him, her leg brushing against his underneath the blanket. “Let me understand… I need to understand.”  
His eyes saddened a little bit as he dared to look at her once more, her gaze as innocent as always, and he slowly nodded.   
“I never learned to read a lot,” he admitted. “Not as a child… But… I wasn’t that bad either. I mean… I could write and spell my name. That’s saying something isn’t it?”  
She looked at him with a warm gaze in her eyes and nodded, understanding what he meant.   
“As an adult, I was able to read and write pretty decently. Like… I didn’t exactly read for fun – we had more important things to do. I had to work in order to survive – but I was able to read letters of the king to his people… And though I was slow at it, I wasn’t as bad as I am now.”  
She didn’t really understand how he had regressed so badly, and wondered: “Do you have bad eyes?” she wondered. “I mean… When you’re looking like the Dark One, your eyes look a bit funny… Does that interfere with your reading?”  
He shook his head. “If anything, I can see clearer now than I ever could before. But when I became the Dark One… I could hardly read anything. It’s like… There’s something in my mind now, jumbling all letters. It’s like I see the words in front of me, but I can’t read them… It’s frustrating! Does that even make sense?”  
Belle found it difficult to imagine, but it made her sympathy for him grow.   
“Isn’t it odd though?” she asked carefully. “You are so powerful… Yet it’s impossible for you to read. And you can’t fix it?”  
He shook his head, averting his eyes from hers. “I have no idea how to. I don’t think I’m allowed to fix it… What I can remember from previous lives is that there were others that were able to read… But that was always _before_ they became the Dark One. The Dark One does not read, Belle. We are not allowed to pass the time so pleasantly, I guess. Or perhaps they want to prohibit us from passing down our knowledge by the written word.”  
She was nearly drowning in her own empathy for him, and put her hand on his leg, smiling at him.   
“From now on, that rule no longer applies to you,” she smiled warmly. “You’ve got _me_. I’ll read to you every evening, if you like. If there is anything you want to put on paper, ask me and I’ll write it down for you.”  
He looked at her, clearly touched by those words, and he shook his head in disbelief. “You are too kind for this old monster.”  
“You’re not a monster,” she insisted, and smiling at him, she continued: “You’re my hero, remember?”  
He chuckled, but shook his head as he disagreed. “What would make me a hero though? Stealing you away from your father?”  
“No,” she insisted. “You just saved me when those vampires attacked. You thought of my life when you could have just let me drown. That’s not selfish of you.”  
“Isn’t it?” he replied seriously, looking into her eyes with a meaningful gaze, his voice growing both softer and deeper with each word. “Is my life not better with you in it? I think that saving you was still a selfish choice…”  
Part of her felt mesmerized by his tone – by his lips as they moved not so far from hers, but she reminded herself that he was speaking to her of matters of the heart, and she needed to focus. As she was starting to understand him, she slowly nodded, but she did not take her eyes of his. Had she been mistaken about him then? She had thought he was capable of heroics, but perhaps she had been wrong about that. He certainly did not seem eager to have her believe that he was a good man, and it made her wonder how wrong her vision of him was at times. There was _more_ than evil in him though. And in this moment, there hardly seemed to be any evil in him at all.   
“I stick by my words for now,” she said decisively. “Today, you saved me. That makes you my hero.” As their eyes locked, Belle wondered if he felt as warm from looking at her as she did from looking at him. Playfully, she added: “And besides – your hair is much too soft to belong to a villain.”  
He chuckled because of those words and shook his head as he took the book from the foot of the bed again, and handed it to her.   
“Alright then…” he said softly, and he continued just as playfully: “I won’t disagree with your impeccable logic.” He offered her the book, a sheepish smile on his face. “Will you read the paragraph about Zoso to me?”  
She patted his leg once more, and bowed her head gracefully.   
“It would be my pleasure.”

_ “After dinner, Rumpelstiltskin kept his word, and he started instructing Belle on how to use his spinning wheel. She had changed into her golden dress once more, and it distracted him a little bit while he tried to teach her how to spin. She wasn’t particularly a natural when it came to spinning, and sometimes she made the same mistakes twice, but she kept on smiling and expressing her gratitude to him for teaching her how to do this. He knew that he would explain it to her a thousand times, if she kept on smiling at him like that.” - art by [vulcanyounot](http://vulcanyounot.tumblr.com/post/70021852717/commissioned-by-cartoonjessie-based-on-a-scene) _

 


	18. Books and Magic

The day after, Rumplestiltskin had already left the bed before Belle woke up, and when she opened the curtains to look into the rest of the cabin, she was surprised to notice he wasn’t around.   
She wondered what could have inspired him to leave so early, especially since she was so used to waking up with his arms around her by now. She knew that he often woke before she did, but so far he had never left the bed while she was asleep. She wondered what had made him leave so early today. Surely she’d done nothing wrong?  
After she got dressed – putting on the green dress she had bought in Arandelle – she grabbed an apple from the bowl of fruit he had left for her on the table. Looking at his spinning wheel, she thought about his promise of the day before. He was going to teach her some magic. She knew that she’d be very excited when she’d be able to spin straw into gold like he could, and she absentmindedly let her hands wander over the wood.   
“Belle?”  
She startled as she heard his voice. He had whisked behind her, next to the bed, a dozen books in his arms as he looked at her with a hopeful expression. As he walked towards her, his demon appearance changed into his human one, and she smiled warmly as she looked into his eyes. His gaze seemed softer than ever.   
“Look,” he said gently, putting the black and gray books on the table. “I got these for you. They’re from a library in one of the bigger cities of this world. I made sure nobody saw me take them. That’s why I left so early.”  
Belle’s heart skipped a beat as she realized he had gotten her these books as a gift, and her mouth dropped as she watched the covers. They all had beautiful drawings on the front, and that was something that Belle wasn’t used to.   
“Wow, these are amazing!” she gasped, and she quickly put them one by one onto a new pile, watching the covers of books about vampires, werewolves, mechanics and even about clothing and architecture.   
“I figured that - since you can’t really go to explore this world safely - I’d get you a way to get to know it regardless.”  
That was such a selfless thing of him to say, that Belle could not help throwing her arms around him to hug him close, and she was glad to feel that he put his hand in her back and returned the hug just as eagerly.   
“This is wonderful, Rumplestiltskin,” she said emotionally as she let go of him and grabbed one of the books to browse through the pages. “These books are some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. Look at these images! Such detail…”  
Rumplestiltskin hadn’t felt so pleased in decades, and he beamed proudly as she let him watch the pages over her shoulder.   
“If there is anything you want me to read to you, then you have to let me know and I’ll read it first.”  
“That’s quite alright, princess. I got these for you – not for me. I’ll be happy to hear it when there is something you wish to share with me.”  
Once more, she felt the need to hug him, but instead she hugged the book closer, and looked at him with a grateful smile.   
“Thank you so much,” she said with a soft sigh. “I don’t know how to thank you.”  
“No need to thank me,” he said a little shyly. “It seems logical that I try to make you feel at home here after I forced you to leave yours.”  
She knew that these gifts did not come from the Dark One – they came from Rumplestiltskin, the man inside the monster.   
“No,” she said softly, shaking her head. “This is selfless of you. You weren’t thinking of yourself when you got me these,” she said hopefully.   
“Wasn’t I?” he questioned her mysteriously, remembering their discussion of the night before. “Who says I take no pleasure from watching you smile?”  
She blushed and averted her eyes, not sure how to respond to that. But perhaps she had been wrong once more – perhaps there was something selfish about the way he spoiled her.   
“Now then,” he continued, his voice a little louder as he clapped his hands together, trying to divert her attention. “How about some breakfast? Eggs and bacon? Grilled cheese omelet? I don’t know about you, but I’m starving!”

Belle was really beginning to enjoy her time aboard his ship. She loved the books he had given her, she loved reading to him, she loved dining with him, she loved learning to spin, she loved her sword-fighting lessons and she even loved spending the nights in his arms.   
Sometimes she still felt bad when she thought of her father, and imagined him worrying about her. But then she saw how happy she made Rumplestiltskin, and it gave her the courage to smile and continue with her life in this way.   
Before her birthday, she had often worried about the life her father had intended for her. She would have been expected to marry Gaston, and to be a good wife to him. As a princess and future Queen, she would get to travel – but only for matters of state, and not for her own enjoyment.   
The relaxed way in which Belle could spend her days now, was something she would not have imagined a few months earlier. Whenever she wanted to, she could retreat behind the curtains of the cot, and then she would be taken to other worlds completely – those she had visited, and those that only existed in fiction.   
At night, she felt warm and safe in Rumplestiltskin’s arms, and even when he transformed into the Dark One in the middle of the night, she did not feel like she was in any danger. She hardly even noticed anymore. She had become used to both of his appearances.  
While they were in the Land Without Color, he sometimes disappeared before the sun came up, to get her some more books. She knew that he stole them – because he had told her that he was unable to pay them in gold – its color would startle the population of this world – but she wasn’t even certain if she disapproved or not. After all: so many books got lost in libraries, didn’t they? Certainly there were much bigger crimes to commit.  
During their last week in the Land Without Color, it rained so much that Rumplestiltskin cancelled her sword-fighting lessons. He was able to stop the rain if he wanted to, but he much rather spent his time watching her behind his spinning wheel, sitting behind her as she spun half the wool he held aboard his ship.   
“Rumplestiltskin,” she said quietly after she had been spinning for over an hour that morning. “When will I learn how to spin gold?”  
“Do you have a need for gold?” he wondered softly, and she shook her head.   
“No… It’s just… I want to know how to do magic.”  
“Why?” he continued in the same tender voice, and as he sat on another stool behind her, he moved a little closer to watch her delicate hands.   
She was always so beautiful in the light of the candles, and today was no different. She was even wearing her yellow gown again, and he loved the view of her bare shoulders in front of him, her dark curls loosely falling over her back.   
“I just want to know if I can do it,” she replied slowly. “It would please me, I guess…”  
“Why?” he asked again, trying to make sense of her motivation.   
“I suppose that knowing magic is… different. It would make sense if I were able to do it. I have felt different all my life. It would… It would give it all meaning, I suppose.”  
“You?” he asked sweetly. “Different?”  
Turning her head a little, she looked at him and noticed the honest look of wonder in his eyes. It flattered her that he did not think of her as different, but she had never felt like she belonged.   
“I’m not like most other girls or princesses,” she explained quietly. “I read. I don’t just want to be remembered for the way I look, or just for my kindness… I want to be recognized for my intelligence as well. I want respect for my brains, not my looks – or else no respect at all.”  
Thinking about her words, he looked at the spinning wheel in deep thought, before he continued: “So do you want to learn magic to earn respect?”  
“No,” she replied, sounding a little uncertain of herself. “But if I do learn magic, then I want people to treat me like they would an honored warlock, and not like a witch. Why is it that witches suffer so much and sorcerers are respected?”  
“You really don’t like being female, do you?” he asked gently, and she laughed in reply to his question.   
“I have no problem at all being female. I don’t dislike it all. What I dislike, is that people treat me differently because of it. It’s much tougher for a girl to get the same respect that a man gets. Even from her own gender.”  
He did not fail to notice how she sounded a little upset talking about that, and he assured her: “Not all worlds are like that. Many, yes… But not all of them.”  
“That’s a relief…” She let out a soft sigh as she continued spinning, but frowning, she continued: “Why ask me all those questions? I still don’t know how to spin gold…”  
With a wave of a scaly hand, the wool disappeared and made way for straw, and Belle felt the excitement build within her, knowing that he was finally going to teach her now.   
“I’m not certain if you’re ready for it,” he admitted. “Magic is emotion. Strong emotions. Perhaps your disappointment in the way women are treated in the Enchanted Forest is something to cling to. It might be a good emotion for your first attempt at magic.”  
Belle thought about it, before she looked at him over her shoulder. “So you think of some disappointment when you spin?”  
“No,” he replied with a shake of his head. “Sometimes, I guess. But not usually. I doubt that my emotions would work for you…” He had nothing but anger and sadness within whenever he spun. For some reason, he could not see Belle angry enough, and to be honest, he did not want to see her so sad… But disappointment… Maybe that would work.   
As she started spinning the straw, she took deep breaths. Rumplestiltskin tried to guide her into the right emotion, asking her to talk about the things she was so disappointed in, but even after telling him of women who were unable to defend themselves, and women who were never given a chance to study, and women who were paid less than a man for doing the exact same job, all she saw in front of her eyes was straw. After an hour, Belle was feeling down, and she still was no closer to using magic than she had been that morning.   
“I suppose that’s quite enough for today,” he concluded, feeling sad that she felt so bad now, and he tried to cheer her up with chocolate after lunch, and the promise that she’d get to spend as much time reading as she wanted to that day. Belle was quite happy with the chocolate – something she had never eaten before she’d met Rumplestiltskin. He was glad to see that it worked, and by the evening she was her usual cheery self once she came out of the cot to have dinner with him.   
As they started their first course – tuna with peach and peas – Belle ate extra slowly, and Rumplestiltskin noticed that something was on her mind.   
“Are you alright?” he wondered, and she startled a little as he spoke.   
“Oh… Yes, Rumplestiltskin. I… I was just thinking.”  
“About what?”  
She bit her lip for a moment, before she admitted in a quiet tone, almost as though she was afraid she’d offend him: “I was reading up on magic a bit… And I just wondered… It said that magic was emotion, but… Does it have to be disappointment? Can’t it be happiness instead?”  
Her blue eyes once more pierced through his soul as she waited for his reply, and a smile came to his face.  
“It needs to be a strong emotion, a very strong emotion. I’m not certain you’re happy enough to use that emotion to do magic.”   
After all, nobody had ever been truly happy in his presence. How would she be the exception?  
She continued to bite her lip as she thought, and poked the peas on her plate with her fork.   
“Do you think I’m unhappy here?” she asked softly, a bit of hurt in her tone. She had no idea that he thought her to be unhappy in his presence.   
“I…” Rumplestiltskin gulped. “Are you?”  
“No,” Belle admitted with a small smile. “Not with you here.”  
Rumplestiltskin blushed at those words, and averted his eyes as he looked at his plate, and Belle sighed softly before she continued.   
“I once read about the emotions that are recognized in every kingdom and culture in the Enchanted Forest,” she started to explain. “There is – of course – happiness. But also anger and fear… Disgust. Sadness. And also surprise. I don’t want to do magic from a sense of anger, or fear… The only ones I feel that are positive, are happiness and surprise.”  
Thinking about that, he scratched his chin. “The thing with surprise is, is that it is such a short-lived emotion. I mean… You can be surprised for a minute, but I can’t really imagine anyone having a strong emotion of surprise for a longer period than that.”  
She nodded. “I suppose you’re right… Neither can I. But I’d hate to have to give in to fear or anger to perform magic.”  
“There are many that do,” he said gently, knowing that anger was one of his favorite emotions to take his magic from. Often he took it from sadness though, but he would prefer to see it otherwise himself. “I have an idea,” he continued. “How about we forget about the spinning wheel – which would require you to focus for a very long time on magic – and instead try and light a candle with nothing but your willpower? It only needs the right emotion for a fraction of a second.”  
“I’d love to try that,” she admitted happily.  
After dinner, Rumplestiltskin cleared the table and looked around.   
“If we’re going to go with happiness as your main emotion, then perhaps we should attempt it in bed.”  
“In bed?” she repeated, frowning a little in surprise – not to mention that her mind had started wandering at his choice of words.  
“Yes. It is where you do most of your reading. So it must be a place that you associate with happiness, right?”  
Guessing that he was right about that, she smiled warmly and nodded. They made their way into the cot and sat on top of the blankets, the curtains closed around them and not a single candle lit inside, though there was still enough light in the rest for the cabin for them to see each other clearly. He gave her a white candle, and she placed it in between both hands, looking at it with such a focus that Rumplestiltskin was in awe of her. He loved her determination, but also noticed that her concentration caused her to frown, and he wondered how that would allow her to fill up with happiness.  
He watched her for several minutes, but a frustrated sigh eventually betrayed that she wasn’t certain what to do.   
“Think happy thoughts,” he encouraged her playfully, and his tone caused her to smile, realizing how frustrated she had looked.   
“It’s so difficult though,” she admitted honestly. “To focus on it, I mean.”  
“Why not tell me about it?” he suggested. “Voicing your thoughts can sometimes intensify those emotions. It would not be a bad thing, I guess.”  
“Tell you about happy things?” she wondered, raising her eyebrows as she looked at him.  
He nodded, and she opened her mouth as she thought about it for a moment.   
“Well… I get really happy when you bring me books!” she admitted, and she looked at him with a bright smile that seemed to fill up the entire cot with warmth and affection. He had seldom felt so appreciated, and could not hide his blush. “I loved the book about architecture! And the one about technology! It was so fascinating!”  
Instead of looking at him, she looked at the candle, trying to channel her joy to it, but nothing happened.   
“Do you feel a warmth within you?” Rumplestiltskin asked. “From talking about something that makes you happy?”  
She thought about it for a moment and then nodded.  
“Good! That is the magic that comes with the emotion. Increase the feeling of warmth within you. What else makes you happy?”  
Looking around her, she eagerly continued: “The blankets!” Watching his confused expression, she continued: “I love the warmth of them while we sleep! I love how snug it all feels in this cot, and it’s even cozier because we sleep here together! I never thought I’d like sleeping together, but truth is that I love it – it just makes me feel so warm!”  
“Go on,” he encouraged her, feeling how her happiness was already spreading to him. She was flattering him, and his own smile was genuine.   
“I also loved when you got me salmon! You had no salmon, but you went to get it for me! It’s my favorite dish! And… And I love sword-fighting with you – especially when you tell me I’m doing well!”  
“You’re also doing really well here,” he complimented her with a smile on his face. “Wish your happiness onto the candle – with its heat it can light the fire! Go on! You can do it!”  
He knew that words of encouragement would not be wasted on Belle, and she could not look happier as he spoke those words. Looking at the candle, she was actually grinning, and when she suddenly narrowed her eyes at it, wishing with all her heart, the fire lit up.  
Gasping in surprise, she stared at it, and Rumplestiltskin cheered as he clapped his hands together.  
“I knew you could do it!” he cried out happily, and as Belle looked at him, she cried out in joy as well.   
“I did magic!” The awe in her voice made her sound so innocent, that Rumplestiltskin’s gaze immediately softened, and when she moved closer to him to hug him, he tenderly put his arms around her. “Can you believe it?” she whispered, smiling widely. “I did magic! Gosh, I can hardly believe it myself…”  
Letting go of him, she looked at the candle once more.   
“And now?” she asked him eagerly. “How do I continue?”  
“Well…” he said slowly. “Now you recall the emotion, and you blow it out. Learn to recall the emotion, that is what we will do next. Practice it every day, and you’ll get quicker at it. Eventually, you’ll be able to hold onto the emotion for minutes, then hours, and you’ll be able to use magic whenever you feel like it. And you’ll also need to learn how to draw magic from other emotions. The reason why so many wizards and witches draw their magic from anger or fear, is because those emotions are strong during battles. If you only know how to draw from happiness, then how will you evoke that emotion when you are on a battlefield, and a dozen dead soldiers surround you?”  
Understanding his point, she nodded slowly, and he noticed how her happy expression had dropped a little.   
“But that doesn’t matter now!” he said eagerly. “You did magic, Belle! And you can do it again! Think of salmon and books and whatever makes you happy!”  
Watching his eyes glisten as he spoke to her so wonderfully, was something that warmed her heart, and as the thought of him filled up her heart, she focused on the candle. He had changed her entire life – and was still changing it every day. She could not remember ever feeling this way about anyone before. She was indebted to him.   
With a knowing smile on her face, she looked at him for a brief moment. Yes, he made her happier than anyone had ever done before.   
A second later, the flame was blown out by her own newly-discovered magic.


	19. Wonderful Things

Belle’s magic improved greatly. In a matter of days, she had learned to light the candle with a snap of her fingers, and Rumplestiltskin could not have been more proud of her. Spinning straw into gold wasn’t really working out for her yet, but he knew that she was close – very close.  
“You can do it,” he whispered in her ear as he sat behind her, and she smiled, looking at the spinning wheel with all the focus she could muster, but also with that ridiculously happy expression that she was unable to ban from her face whenever he spoke his words of encouragement. “Tonight we will cross over to a new, exciting world!” he tried to stimulate her. “But even before we reach it, you will spin this straw into gold, I feel it! You’re more than ready, Belle!”  
Rumplestiltskin was an excellent mentor. He was able to fill her up with the happiness she needed to feel, even if he – at the end of the day – still felt sad himself.  
“Chocolate, Belle,” he playfully whispered in her ear, and she giggled as she continued her spinning, leaning into him a little. He softly put his hands in her side, and as inspiration struck him, he softly started tickling her, causing her to giggle even more.  
“Stop it,” she giggled. “I can’t focus that way…”  
Letting his hands rest in her sides instead, he leaned his chin on her shoulder, and she let her head lean against his as she watched the wheel, feeling her heart warm with him so close to her – so funny and kind – such a good friend – perhaps the only friend she had ever had.  
As she realized this, he suddenly shot up, and she startled at his sudden movement. Turning to him, she saw his happy smile.  
“Look, Belle!” he indicated the spinning wheel, and as Belle noticed the golden thread, she screamed and jumped up in happiness, and when Rumplestiltskin joined her (though he did not scream like she did), she threw her arms around him before she started kissing his face: his nose, his cheeks, his brow, everything but his lips, really…  
Rumplestiltskin burned up at the sensation of her hugging him so close, and as she threw her arms around him again to press him near, he suddenly noticed how awkwardly tight his pants were getting, and he leaned away from her a bit so she would not notice anything funny against her hip.  
“This is excellent!” he suddenly called out as he stepped away from her, making a grand gesture with his hands and hoping that it would distract her gaze from going any lower. “I must reward you for your improvement! I think a new book is in order!”  
Without waiting for her reaction, he whisked away from the ship, reappearing thousands of miles further, in the middle of a forest, and he could not stop thinking about how amazing this girl was as he helped himself to another release, not even bothering to sit down – and not even needing to. Thinking of her was enough to get him to his climax in a matter of minutes, and when he came, he moaned out her name in a feral growl, knowing that this was the only time he could do so now that she wasn’t close enough to hear.  
It was absolute bliss that he felt as he came, and a happy smile spread on his face. As he made his own cum disappear, he thought happy thoughts as well, and he chuckled as he realized how funny it was that she had taught him to think of happy things while performing magic, after lifetimes of thinking of nothing but darkness. It just showed that one was never too old to learn.

When he returned a few hours later, he had three more books with him – dashing adventures, the covers portraying heroes fighting dragons and other magical creatures, and Belle could not have been happier.  
“Look!” she said as she took him by the hand and led him to the spinning wheel. “I spun all this gold! So I can repay you for all the gifts!”  
As he watched the gold she had gathered in the basket, more than enough to repay him for the books he had bought her, he softly pulled her closer to him and pressed a kiss to her forehead.  
“My sweet Belle,” he whispered as he looked at her. “You need not repay me for anything. Your presence is reward enough.”  
Her gaze softened as she looked at him, and she nodded with a small, emotional smile on her face. He was too kind – too amazing a friend – and she felt nothing but love for him because of it.  
“So…” she said softly. “We’re ready for tonight? For the crossing over?”  
He nodded, looking at her ball gown. “You might want to change into something else though. And perhaps take a nap as well? I trust you’ll want to stay on deck during the crossing over?”  
An excited grin spread over her lips and she nodded eagerly. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Heading behind the folding screen, she started changing out of her gown, realizing she had become quite handy in undoing the laces on her back without anyone’s help. Putting on her nightgown, she headed to the cot and sat down on the bed to take off her shoes.  
“Will you join me for a nap?” she asked sweetly as she saw him watching her, a small smile on his face.  
Though he knew that there was no reason for him to take a nap – he would not be so tired from staying up all night – he was used to it – he could not resist her pleading eyes, and almost as though he had no sense of free will at all, he made his way over to her, changing into his black nightgown with a wave of his hands. Belle watched his scaly skin, but before he transformed into his human self, she stopped it.  
“Rumplestiltskin, why don’t you stay that way?” she said gently, and he hesitated before he sat down on the bed, not certain whether he should change back or not.  
“Because you deserve better than to sleep with a monster,” he answered weakly, but as she grabbed him by his scaly hand and pulled him closer to her on the bed, he realized that perhaps she wasn’t as bothered by it as he had assumed from the beginning. He sat frozen for a moment, before she put her soft fingers on his scaly hand and started stroking it, looking at it with nothing but affection in her eyes.  
“You don’t have to bother transforming into your human self when sleeping, Rumplestiltskin. I know you change into this appearance every night. That means that this is your relaxed form. And I want you to relax – just as I can relax in your company as well.”  
He was taken aback by her words, and looked at her with the same lost look he had whenever he could not believe how blessed he was to have her traveling with him.  
“Belle…” Though he spoke nothing but her name, she could hear the gratitude in his tone, and she smiled encouragingly, which gave him the courage to continue. “You deserve so much better than sleeping with a monster…”  
“I’m not sleeping with a monster,” she replied. “I’m sleeping with you. There’s a difference.”  
She lifted the blankets for him, and he crawled underneath, looking very uncertain at her as she did not turn her back on him, like she always did.  
“Why are you so uncomfortable?” she asked him, moving closer to him as she put her hand on his side underneath the blanket. “Relax! Lean into me!”  
Recognizing those words as his own – after all, he had spoken those words to her on their first night together in this bed – he found his breath completely taken away as she moved closer to him, putting her head underneath his chin as she closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep.  
She did not fail to notice how tense he felt with her arms around him, and by the time he finally managed to relax and realized how blessed he was, she was already sleeping, dreaming of heroes and magic. 

She slept far longer than he had anticipated, but before he woke her, he transformed into his human shape. Pulling himself away from her a little, he could not help but look at her for a little while, noticing the peaceful way in which she pursed her lips during her sleep, and he had seldom felt such an urge to kiss her. For a moment, he even leaned closer, his lips only an inch or so from hers, and he could feel her soft breath on his chin.  
Then he reminded himself that this wasn’t proper, and he pulled away again, a look of regret on his face. She was so beautiful, and he wanted her so much, but there was simply too much at stake. One wrong move and he would destroy everything he had worked for all those centuries. And so, even though it was hard to resist her, he just stroked her cheek, the look of regret not completely gone from his eyes as she opened hers.  
“Hey,” she said softly, greeting him as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.  
“Hey,” he replied breathlessly, and he found once more how easy it was to lose himself in the bright blue depths of her eyes.  
“Is it time?” she asked softly, and as he nodded, she smiled and slowly stretched, arching her back like a cat would, and Rumplestiltskin could not stop his smile as he moved out of the bed, transforming into his black leather with a flick of his wrist.  
“How long until I will be able to do that?” she wondered curiously as she moved to the edge of the bed and watched him.  
“Years,” he replied softly, and he shot her an apologetic smile.  
Though it was not the answer she had hoped for, she returned that smile, and she nodded slowly. “Good thing I’m still young, I guess…” Then, a thought occurred to her, and she nervously bit her lip. “Rumplestiltskin…”  
Noticing her unease, he immediately moved closer, and he sat beside her on the bed. Something was bothering her, and he hated the idea that something was keeping her from being happy.  
“What is it, princess?” he asked gently, allowing her the time to take a deep breath.  
“There’s a… something I’ve been wondering for a few weeks now… and eh… I’m not sure if I’m reading the signs correctly.”  
For some reason, Rumplestiltskin could not help but feel like she had uncovered one of his darkest secrets, and he braced himself for her question, the anguish on her face becoming his own.  
“I eh… I’ve been here for about two months now and…”  
The way she did not dare to look at him, made him feel like this was truly a horrible secret – gods no – had she seen him jerk off in his study? For some reason, he felt like it had to be that, if it made her so awkward to talk about it.  
“It’s just… I’m not certain, but… I’ve eh… I haven’t bled in a while.”  
Looking at her with large eyes, he blinked a few times, the words needing their time to sink in.  
Wondering if he understood what she meant, she suddenly continued, talking faster than she usually did: “I know that it’s possible that it doesn’t come every month, but it’s been nearly two and a half months since my last time now, and that’s an awfully long time. At first I had not even noticed, but yesterday I was doing the math and I realized how long it had been. I know this is not particularly a subject to discuss with a man, but well, it’s not like there’s a woman here to talk about it and eh… since you’re the wizard here, I was wondering if you had an explanation for it. Does it have to do with magic? I mean… It has to! It’s not like I’m pregnant or something, am I?”  
He was still looking at her as though he was in shock, but seeing how her usually happy mood was shifting into one of uncertainty and fear, he suddenly smiled warmly, though awkwardly as well, and he shook his head. “No, that’s not it,” he said with a relieved sigh. “I mean… unless…” His heart stopped for a brief moment. “Did you… Before you came here… Did you have eh… intercourse?”  
“What?!” Belle’s eyes widened exponentially. “No! I’m… I’m a maiden! Do you honestly think my father would let anyone near me before my wedding night?”  
Relieved by that reaction, he muttered: “Good.” But as he suddenly saw Belle’s angry gaze, he smiled and added nervously: “I mean, it’s good that I can exclude that theory. No. The reason why you have not bled in a while is a bit different… It’s the ship, you see. Its magic keeps you from aging.”  
Her mouth dropped a little as he told her that, and she looked at him in shock. “You mean to tell me that I am still – physically – as old as I was on my birthday? And not two months older?”  
He nodded in silence.  
“And… And I won’t grow gray here? Or wrinkly?”  
He shook his head.  
“Wow…” She stared at the floor as she let that sink in, but a sudden grin appeared on her face as she asked: “And then I won’t bleed every month either?”  
He returned her smile and shook his head once more, and she suddenly giggled in appreciation.  
“Well… That is unexpected, but good news, I suppose. Wonderful, even!”  
Glad she did not mind, he let out a relieved sigh as well, until she suddenly asked: “But how about our trips to Arandelle and into the forest here? Do they add up to my age?”  
“No,” he replied softly. “It’s like… If you’re in my presence, the magic will continue to work, no matter how far you are from the ship.”  
Narrowing her eyes, she looked into his. “Is there any other form of magic here you’re not telling me about?”  
He chuckled. “Not really, I guess. Well… Plenty of magic here, but nothing that should be affecting you.”  
“Good,” she replied with a smile, and she got up from the bed, letting out another relieved sigh. “I’ll go get dressed. See you on deck in a few minutes?”  
He nodded happily, and Belle noticed the spring in his step as he left the cabin. 

When she joined him on deck a few minutes later, she was wearing her leather pants with the dark red top he had given her, and she carried her cutlass in hand, looking up into the air. She was cautious for vampires and bats, and was determined not to let them surprise her a third time.  
She tucked away the cutlass once she found herself behind the wheel of the ship, Rumplestiltskin standing behind her and all the Black Bones faced towards the water. The ship wasn’t sailing yet, and they waited for the magical light to appear in complete silence.  
When she suddenly felt Rumplestiltskin stir behind her, she looked around frantically, and Rumplestiltskin shouted: “Port side!”  
That was when the ship started moving, and the waves grew wilder as they chased after a pink light. Though she was rather hungry, the thrill made her forget all about that, and she eagerly helped Rumplestiltskin spin the wheel as they chased the pink light.  
When they eventually hit the light, Belle figured that the chase had passed much faster than the previous time.  
“Was that it?” the princess wondered breathlessly and Rumplestiltskin nodded with a happy smile. “I have an idea that I know what world will be our next,” Rumplestiltskin admitted as the ship was drowned in moonlight.  
“What world?” Belle asked breathlessly.  
Chuckling, he replied mysteriously: “One filled with colors… and wonders beyond your wildest imagination!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My dear readers / fellow Rumbellers,
> 
> It is October 21st 2015 and I'd like to talk to you about Nanowrimo. It means National Novel Writing Month. I consider it a marathon for writers, and it's a marathon I try to participate in most years.
> 
> During the month of November, writers can pledge to themselves that they will try to write 50 000 words - a story. This can be anything. This can be an original novel, a fanfiction, or 5 fanfictions that are each 10000 words long. You make your own rules what the story will be about, what you will write, and at the end of the month november you can say "I made it. I wrote 50 000 (or more) words this month" or you say "I failed. I gave up after a few days because I didn't feel motivated/inspiration was lacking/I played Minecraft instead." (True story.)
> 
> Nanowrimo (http://nanowrimo.org/) is very much like a marathon. Running 42 kilometers is a hard thing to do. So is writing 50 000 words in a month. But it's also a team effort. Marathons are always run by large groups of people, and seeing a guy run faster than you might push you to run faster yourself. Hearing people cheer you on on the sidelines, might give you the courage to continue running when it is raining and you would rather stop.  
> For Nanowrimo, the same things are true. It helps to compare yourself with others, to make it a team effort, to try and get your group to the finish. But it also helps to hear encouragement, to have people be aware of what you're doing. 
> 
> That is one reason why I'm writing this. If I tell you this now, and I am about to give up, I will need to overcome the thought of losing face to you guys. And that's something I don't really want. But I'm also writing this so that you can be the emotional support I need when I face the week of hell. 
> 
> The week of hell is a funny week. It is very similar to what people in a marathon encounter. At a certain point, it feels like you hit a wall - like your body is about to give out, like you will die if you continue running... The week of hell is exactly that. It usually happens in the second week of writing. The first week has been going great, and then suddenly it feels like you have no more inspiration, like every sentence you write is exactly the same as the sentence before... Like you're just repeating the same thing over and over and it brings you no pleasure. You think your readers hate you, that you should have picked another hobby and that you're the lousiest writer in the world. 
> 
> That week is mentally the most challenging, and also the week that participants need the most encouragement. So I would like to ask those of you that have a little time to sometimes write something nice, some form of encouragement. Not just to me, but to all other writers you know that will participate. Comment on a story, send an ask over Tumblr, just cheer someone on in whatever way you can. It will be a boost to us; and we're going to need those. 
> 
> If you wish to participate in Nanowrimo as well and socialize with fellow Rumbellers, try sending charmedrumbelle on Tumblr a message so that she can add you to a Tumblr group for discussing Nanowrimo with other Oncers (mostly Rumbellers). (http://charmedrumbelle.tumblr.com/ask)
> 
> If you wish to send me some messages during the month of November, to break me out of my writer's isolation every now and then, feel free to message me on my blog on Tumblr or to leave a comment on one of my fics. (http://cartoonjessie.tumblr.com/ask)
> 
> If you wish to support me by coming to my house and cleaning and cooking for me, you are most welcome. :-P I know I neglect everything in November, so... really, you're welcome. XD
> 
> Something else I want to advertise for is Rumbelle Secret Santa on Tumblr. (http://rumbellesecretsanta.tumblr.com/) I've been participating for years and it's always been a lot of fun. Last year I wrote Wolf Love (http://archiveofourown.org/works/2818718) and for Secret Santa in July I wrote A Splendid Bargain (http://archiveofourown.org/works/4423058). You should read them both if you haven't already cause they're awesome and smutty. :-) (And also because I might not post many chapters to my current stories in November when I'm actually focused more on writing than on publishing the stuff online.)  
> The Secret Santa event starts early November, so be sure you don't miss out. 
> 
> And if you don't have a Tumblr yet, consider getting one cause there's a few events each year that you don't wanna miss out on. :-) Feel free to ask me for help if you need it! 
> 
> And that's basically it! Thanks for reading (if you read this far) and I hope I can count on you to give me some emotional support in November! I'm gonna need it if I'm ever going to finish Heart of the Ship. ;-) (First 100.000 words are already written... But it would be nice if I could now finally finish it too!) Keep your fingers crossed for me!!
> 
> Love,  
> Jessie


	20. Wonderland

As they floated down onto the deck of the ship, she held onto Rumplestiltskin, no more fear in her heart this time as she trusted him to hold her, like he had done the previous times as well.   
Once she was able to look around, her eyes nearly hurt from the colors she could recognize in the sky. Even though it was the middle of the night, the purple and pink hues of the galaxies above them made Belle gasp in awe, and as she saw not one – but at least five moons and several other worlds out there, floating around like islands in the sky, she let out an amazed: “Wow.”  
Rumplestiltskin watched her reaction, remembering the first time he had come to this amazing world. He had been just as blown away, and it brought him joy to watch Belle react to it in such a way. He dreamed of one day showing this skyline to Baelfire, and hoped it would not just remain a dream. His boy would love the sight, he was certain of it.   
“Wonderland is a place that has links to many worlds… That is why we were able to cross over so quickly. It’s almost as though the land welcomes strangers. It’s also one of the worlds I’ve been to the most - even more often than the Enchanted Forest. You will find that there are travelers from all sorts of different worlds in here.” He paused for a moment, before he admitted: “Even from our own. We might be able to get a message through to your father.”  
Belle looked at him with wide eyes, careful not to seem too hopeful, but she failed miserably, and he gave her an encouraging nod. He understood perfectly how important it was to her that she contacted her father. She would never be truly happy if he forbade her to contact him.   
“Passing on a message should not be too difficult. But that is something to look into tomorrow. I think a good night’s sleep is in order right now.”  
As they headed into his study, Belle could suddenly hear a monotone whistling sound, coming from the cabin.   
“What’s that sound?” she muttered as he opened the door, which increased the volume to a point that Belle needed to cover her ears, and if she did not know any better, she’d say that a teapot was making the sound.  
“Ah!” Rumplestiltskin cried out happily, walking towards his glass cabinet, and he opened one of the doors, which only added to the volume of the whistling teapot.   
“This is excellent news!” he called out.   
“News?” Belle repeated loudly, pushing her fingers harder into her ears in order not to sustain any permanent hearing damage.  
Taking the teapot, Rumplestiltskin put it on the table, and he grabbed a pencil and parchment from the cupboard. Wondering what he was going to write, Belle looked over his shoulder, but to her surprise, he did not write anything, but instead he drew a few lines on the parchment – a face with a sharp nose, beady eyes and curly hair, and Belle knew it was him – or at least a doodle of the way he looked as an imp.   
“I’m just letting my friend know I’m here,” he explained to her, and Belle was surprised to hear him refer to anyone as a ‘friend’. She had never heard him speak of a friend before.   
“Should you not let him know that I’m here as well?” she asked playfully, but loudly at the same time, and Rumplestiltskin giggled.   
“Excellent idea, dearie!” With a few more lines, he drew her as well, giving her some eyelashes and full lips, as well as long, curly hair.   
He rolled up the parchment, and lifted the lid of the teapot to put it in there. When he closed the lid again, the whistling finally stopped, and Belle let out a relieved sigh.   
“Thank heavens,” she remarked as she let her hands down again. “I was afraid we were going to have to sleep with that noise.”  
“Don’t be silly,” he replied. “I think my friend will curse us though. Now that we have sent him this message, one of his teapots will start whistling as well – and I can imagine he’s sleeping right now.”  
They both laughed for a brief moment, before he put his hands in her back and slowly guided her towards the folding screen.   
“Go get changed, my princess. We’ll catch up on some sleep, and in the morning we’ll head to Wonderland. We could have a nice walk in one of the delightful forests this world has to offer, and afterwards…” He hesitated only for a brief moment, before he suddenly nodded and said: “Afterwards, we’ll go have some tea with my friend.”

With those words to promise her a delightful day, Belle had a wonderful night’s rest, and as Rumplestiltskin warmed her back, she snuggled a little closer to him. When she woke after a few hours of sleep, Rumplestiltskin noticed immediately, and he spoke quietly in her ear.   
“Are you sure you don’t want to sleep a little longer? You didn’t sleep for very long.”  
Turning to face him, she smiled. “We already slept quite a bit during the day, remember? That was quite a long nap we took.”  
He nodded and looked at her with a warm gaze, remembering how she had encouraged him to stop transforming for her sake while they slept. He had not transformed this night either, until he had woken up. But as he realized who they were visiting, he softly warned her: “When we go to visit my friend today – and when we head into Wonderland – I won’t appear human. As far as the people in this world know, I was always the Dark One – and I never look – or act – differently.”  
She looked at him with a curious gaze.   
“But this is your truer form, is it not?” she asked him, moving her hand to his hair as she stroked it gently. “I mean… Don’t you take this form because it is what you identify with most?”  
He hesitated, not only because her touch was distracting him, but also because it was a question he had not asked himself often. “I’m not even sure myself, Belle. I think that if I look back on my life, I’ve spent a far greater time being the imp than I have been appearing human. Like… Four times as much. It’s only in your company that I make such an effort to appear human.”  
“You don’t have to,” she insisted. “Not on my behalf.”  
“I know,” he said with a soft undertone in his voice. “It’s on my own behalf. I’ve spent a great deal of time living like a monster. It’s about time that I remember what it’s like to be human. Changing my appearance helps – if only for a little bit.”  
Thinking about his words, she suddenly said: “Yet now that we go out, you do not wish them to see you in your human form?”  
“They’re not like you, Belle,” he said gently. “They would see a small man – an old man – in the company of a beautiful young woman. They would never understand.”  
Belle smiled softly. “But seeing me in the presence of the Dark One will make them understand, you mean?”   
“At least it will explain to them that you did not have much of a choice in the matter,” he admitted, and Belle shook her head. He seemed very willing to let everyone think him to be a villain. She had never quite met anyone like him.   
“You’re a complicated man, Rumplestiltskin.” She looked for his hand and took hold of it, squeezing it softly. “Half of the time, I can’t make sense of your motivations, but I know better than to disagree with you. If you feel like it’s best that you appear like a demon to the people in this world, then you should.”  
Leaning towards her, he suddenly pressed a grateful kiss to her cheek, and she blushed as he pulled away.   
“Thank you for being so understanding. I’ll make it up to you,” he promised her, squeezing her hand.  
She averted her eyes shyly, before she found her courage again and replied compassionately: “There’s nothing to make up for!”

The forest was amazingly beautiful compared to the gray ones they had seen in the World Without Color, and Rumplestiltskin told her all about the magical plants that grew there – about the mushrooms that would make one grow taller – or the flowers that would listen to all your secrets, and pass them onto other people without you knowing. Aware that there were such flowers, they both kept their conversation light and casual, and after an hour of walking, Belle wondered how much longer they would have to go on.   
“Oh, no longer than an hour now, I assure you…”  
“You haven’t told me anything about your friend yet,” Belle continued. “So where’s he from? What’s he like? Does he know magic?”  
“Save your questions for when you meet him, dearie,” he said gently. “After all, the flowers have ears.”  
Sighing in disappointment, Belle continued her walk in silence. Every now and then, she glanced at the flowers, expecting them to glance back, and sometimes she bent down to smell them too, each one smelling even better than the one before. She didn’t know if it was the fresh air of the scent of spring, but from time to time she even felt a little lightheaded because of it – but in a pleasant way.  
She had never imagined visiting such a beautiful place, and even during the day, she could see stars in the sky. It was in that moment that she was grateful that Rumplestiltskin had taken her with him. She had always dreamed of seeing places like this one, yet she had never dreamed it in such magnificent detail. Her heart seemed to flutter in joy, and she could not wipe the ridiculous smile from her face.  
Rumplestiltskin watched her with an adoring gaze, leaving her this freedom. She had spent so much time inside his cabin while they had been in the Land Without Color that he felt bad for her, and he was glad to see her enjoy this walk.  
When eventually a half-stone, half-wooden house became visible in-between the trees, Belle’s heart jumped.   
“Is that his place?” she wondered.  
“Yup,” Rumplestiltskin replied.  
“It looks so cozy!” she remarked as she hurried closer, and when the door opened and a rabbit in a suit emerged, checking his clock, Belle froze. She stared at the creature with an unbelieving gaze, and when the rabbit saw her – and Rumplestiltskin behind her – he suddenly ran away in the other direction, and Belle could swear she was dreaming.  
As the rabbit disappeared from sight, Belle weakly said: “Bunny!” and Rumplestiltskin chuckled behind her.   
“Was that your friend?” Belle wondered, and Rumplestiltskin assured her: “I swear that my friend’s ears are a great deal smaller.”   
Looking at the cottage with its open window, they could suddenly hear a teapot whistling, and a broad grin appeared on Rumplestiltskin’s face. “Come, I believe he is expecting us.”


	21. A Mad Place

Rumplestiltskin only knocked once before he opened the wooden door to the cozy cottage and stepped inside, Belle anxiously following behind him, rearranging the skirt of her pink dress in order to make a decent first impression.   
The tall owner of the tiny place had his back turned to them as he took three empty cups from a cupboard, and Belle immediately noticed the large hat he wore. When he turned around, he looked at Belle and Rumplestiltskin with a grin that looked even madder than Rumplestiltskin’s.   
Setting down the cups, he approached the imp with open arms, and Belle looked on with large eyes as they gave each other a manly hug. As the man’s eyes met Belle’s, she felt a little nervous, but she kept smiling eagerly, and the man looked from her to Rumplestiltskin and back.   
“Now…” he said mysteriously. “This looks like a tale I’d love to hear from you, my friend.” As he approached Belle, he looked at her from head to toe, and as she placed her hand in his open one, he placed a soft kiss on it, to which she bowed her head gracefully, as she had been taught to do as a child.   
Looking at her with narrowed eyes, their host suddenly turned to Rumplestiltskin with a frown on his face.   
“Seriously? She’s royalty?”   
He said those words as though he was talking about something foul, and Rumplestiltskin merely shrugged.   
“She’s not the power-hungry kind,” Rumplestiltskin assured the man, and he looked at Belle once more, this time with a frown on his face, as though he was trying to judge her worth.   
“No, she’s not,” the Hatter replied slowly, and he suddenly took a deep bow for her. “Jefferson, at your service.” When he looked up, his frown was completely gone, and she once more saw his mad grin.  
Curtsying him, she smiled and replied: “My name’s Belle. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jefferson.”  
“When I first saw the drawing Rumplestiltskin sent me, I thought he was pulling my leg. I hardly believed he would visit me in such beautiful company, yet… here you are.”  
He walked away from them to take the cups once more and bring them to a table which seemed way too small for the three of them, and he indicated the stools next to it.   
“Please, please, sit down.”  
As Rumplestiltskin moved to sit down on one of the stools, Belle did exactly the same, and when she noticed Rumplestiltskin’s encouraging gaze on her, she gave him a reassuring smile.  
“Looking around, she saw several racks with hats against the wall, and she looked at them in surprise.   
“You are a hatter,” she remarked, unable to hide the surprise in her tone.   
“Did Rumplestiltskin tell you nothing of me?” he wondered, and Rumplestiltskin merely giggled. “Yes, I am a hatter, but I am a little more than that as well.”  
Curiously, Belle moved to the edge of her small seat, her gaze on the hot tea as he poured them some. “What, then?” she asked eagerly, her eyes wide as she looked at him, and the Hatter laughed.   
“I travel from world to world, just like Rumplestiltskin here does. Well… maybe he travels around a little more than I do these days, but we have encountered each other on several worlds already.”  
“That’s what the teapot is for,” Rumplestiltskin chimed in. “Whenever I go to a world where Jefferson is, it starts whistling.”  
“Clever,” Belle remarked with a smile. “I can imagine that comes in handy.”  
“Certainly,” Jefferson replied. “I have been able to acquire many rare objects for Rumplestiltskin. And he has provided me with plenty of gold in all our deals.”  
“Speaking of gold,” Rumplestiltskin interrupted him again. “Considering the amount of gold I gave you last time, I’m surprised you still live here – making hats. At a certain point I was certain your riches would match that of the Red Queen herself.”  
Looking a little disappointed, the Hatter sighed. “Ah… You are sorely mistaken about that, I fear… You see… That riches was used to pay off my debt to her. I am a free man now, but alas… I’m not as rich as I would have liked. I was actually hoping this visit would change that. Do you have a task I could help you with?”  
Clapping his hands together, Rumplestiltskin sat a little straighter. “As a matter of fact, I do! We do! Which is why I brought Princess Belle with me. Could you get a message through to her father in the Enchanted Forest?”  
He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but eventually nodded. “For a prize then, of course,” he replied slowly. “I had not intended to return there at all for the next couple of years, or to seek out royalty. They always seem to dislike me for some reason… But if you provide me with enough gold, then I am sure it will compensate the risks. I shall make the trip for you then.”  
“I will make the gold myself,” Belle said proudly as she sat up a little straighter, glad she would be able to repay the man on her own accord.  
Just the thought that this girl knew how to make gold caused Jefferson to frown.   
“You? Make gold?” he repeated, deep in thought. “I only know two other people who are able to do such a thing – well, three, I suppose. Four, if it includes you. Come to think of it, if there are so many people capable of doing it, I wonder if gold will lose its value any time soon…” Noticing that his thoughts were distracting him too much, he suddenly shook his head, before he summed them up. “There is Rumplestiltskin of course, the Dark One. Then, there is the Queen of Hearts, who bought her way to one of the many thrones here in Wonderland, many years ago… And then, back in the Enchanted Forest… Good King Midas – who was silly enough to wish that everything he would touch, would turn into gold.”  
Belle remembered that story. Her father had told her once. King Midas had accidentally turned his wife, the Queen, into such a statue, as she had kissed him to welcome him home.   
“And now there’s you, dear princess…” He looked at Belle curiously. “What are you to Rumplestiltskin, that he would grant you such a knowledge and power?”  
Belle opened her mouth to reply, but Rumplestiltskin beat her to it. “She’s my pupil,” he said briefly, trying not to put any more attention to it, and Belle narrowed her eyes suspiciously. She would have replied with ‘friend’, but apparently Rumplestiltskin did not think of it that way, and for some reason, it hurt Belle.   
“She came to you for lessons?” Jefferson asked, unable to hide his tone of surprise.   
“Yes,” Rumplestiltskin replied once more, nodding briefly, and Belle bit the inside of her cheeks in order not to speak up. Why wasn’t he telling the truth? Wasn’t Jefferson his friend? Couldn’t he be honest with the people he considered friends?  
“And in what way does she need to repay you?” he asked curiously, looking at Belle from head to toe again, and she felt her cheeks flush from indignation. She knew perfectly well what the Hatter was implying, but she was so unaccustomed to such rudeness that she did not know in what way to respond.   
Rumplestiltskin was at a loss for words as well, and perhaps it was a good thing that Belle jumped up in her anger or Jefferson would have noticed.   
“Come, Rumplestiltskin,” she said in a tone of dignity that made Jefferson’s eyes grow large. “I refuse to deal with a man that looks at me that way. He can find his gold some other place.”  
Without even looking at Rumplestiltskin, she headed out of the door, and the imp was completely baffled. Part of him admired her style and was proud of her for speaking up, but another part of him did not want to pass up the opportunity to make a deal with Jefferson – or to make it look like the princess had him under her command. It was strange behavior, to say the least. She had never acted like that.   
But, realizing how Belle was right, he decided to play along.   
“It’s her call,” he told Jefferson as he got up from the small stool. “Thanks for the tea, old friend!”  
He turned and rushed after Belle, trying not to run, though it was hard not to, she was walking very fast. He caught up on her behind the small fence of the cottage, and her cheeks were flushed in anger.   
“My lady,” he called out softly. “Are you alright?”  
“I’ve never been so insulted in my life,” she said harshly, avoiding his gaze as she angrily stepped towards the forest, but as they heard the Hatter call out all of a sudden, Rumplestiltskin grabbed Belle by her elbow to make her stop.   
“Wait!” Jefferson called out as he ran after them, and they both turned around as they watched him run towards them, holding onto his hat. “Princess, please accept my most sincere apologies! I did not mean to insult you in such a way.”  
Belle folded her arms over one another and narrowed her eyes as she looked at him. This seemed to impress him a little, and he bowed once more and averted his eyes.   
“Very well,” she eventually replied, her tone more regal than Rumplestiltskin had ever heard in her voice, but it only took him a moment to realize that it was an act. It just had to be. Wasn’t it?   
“We will return tomorrow – with a message for my father and with a bit of gold for your trip. On your return here, you’ll receive the rest.”  
“Of course,” Jefferson replied, still bowing down to her. “I shall await your return.”  
“Good,” Belle said briefly, turning her back to Jefferson once more. “I’m ready if you are,” she said to Rumplestiltskin, who grinned as he took her hand before they whisked back to the ship.   
Once on deck, Rumplestiltskin started laughing, but Belle didn’t laugh at all. In fact, she looked incredibly pale. As he noticed this, he stopped and slowly made his way over to her to touch her shoulder.  
“Princess, what’s wrong? You were brilliant!”  
Despite those words, Belle suddenly started crying, and the imp didn’t know what came over him. Hoping he would be able to comfort her better, he quickly transformed into his human self before he opened his arms to her, and without hesitation, she took a step closer to hug him, still crying.   
“What is it? What’s wrong, my dear?” he asked sweetly.   
She sobbed into his leather jacket, and he stroked the back of her head.   
“Sweetheart?” he asked gently, and just the fact that he called her that with such affection, made her cry even louder.   
“I feel awful,” she admitted in-between sobs. “I was horrible to him.”  
His eyes grew large at first, but then he frowned, unable to understand her. “What do you mean? He insulted you and you put him in his place.”  
“Did I though?” she questioned him, unable to stop her tears. “And did he truly insult me that badly?”  
Her words were confusing him, and he felt like something else was going on, something bigger than what it appeared to be.   
“Come,” he said and he put one arm underneath her knees to lift her into the air. As he carried her to their cabin, her sniveling stopped and she looked at him through tear-stained eyes.  
Once inside, he put her down on the bed, and moved to sit next to her, but first he took off her shoes and placed them down on the floor, before he kicked off his own shoes as well. He closed the curtain so that it was a little cozier, and he whisked up a glass of water.   
She took it without hesitation, and gulped it all down in one go, feeling how it made her a little calmer. She still felt foul, though, and Rumplestiltskin put his hand against her forehead.   
“You feel hot,” he remarked, frowning. “You’re not feeling sick, are you?”  
“Maybe a little,” she replied in a weak voice. “I’m not sure. I think I’m just upset about what he insinuated.”  
“And what was it that he insinuated?” he asked softly. He knew very well what Jefferson had said, but he wanted to hear from Belle what was upsetting her so.   
“That only the power-hungry, and those that want riches, would want to learn how to spin gold. And then, that, in order to learn it, I would have had to…” She shivered at the idea alone, but Rumplestiltskin found it very important that she said it out loud.   
“Say it, Belle.”  
She hesitated for a brief moment, before she blurted out: “That I would sleep with you in order to learn magic.”  
Seeing the way she frowned, and the way she clenched her fists, he smiled gently, and he said playfully: “Well… I suppose that’s right. I mean… we do sleep together, don’t we?”  
Tears came to her eyes once more, and she looked at the wooden ceiling above her as she tried to find what was bothering her. “No,” she said. “Or yes. We sleep, but we don’t… I don’t give you any pleasure. In fact, I don’t give you anything at all in return for your lessons.”  
As she started crying once more, he tried to shush her and he pulled her a little closer to him.  
“That’s not true, princess… You hold me company. You have brought me joy where I knew nothing but darkness before. You read to me. You make me laugh. What more could I ask for?”  
Despite his sweet words, she kept on crying, and Rumplestiltskin had not felt so lost in a century. He held her close as she kept on crying, and when she suddenly grew quiet, Rumplestiltskin noticed how she had fallen asleep.   
Finding this all incredibly odd, he touched her forehead again, and noticed that she was burning up. He could not help but worry – after all, Wonderland was filled with powerful magic, but it was also a mad place. If she was sick now, then whatever had caused her to feel so sick, was powerful too. It was not an ordinary flu, and Rumplestiltskin bit his lip as he watched her toss and turn. He did not have any experience with diseases in this world – after all, he had never travelled here with company, and he never got sick himself – and hoped that Jefferson would be able to help.   
Praying that she would be alright while he was gone, he whisked away once more.


	22. The Hatter's Advice

“So you’re saying that she wasn’t herself?” Jefferson looked up from the hat he was patching up, lifting an eyebrow as he watched Rumplestiltskin in front of him. The imp was wringing his hands, and Jefferson had never seen him look so worried.   
“Yes,” he admitted. “She’s a very sweet girl. That tone of authority – of power… That wasn’t like her at all. I thought she was acting, but it appeared like she wasn’t, but she could not stop herself. And then when I took her back to my ship… She was pathetic. Crying, sniveling… She’s the strongest woman I’ve ever known – and it was like she was hardly aware of the way she carried herself.”   
For a moment, it was quiet in the room, but then Jefferson nodded and continued his sewing, muttering: “She’s mad alright.”  
Rumplestiltskin frowned, feeling insulted on Belle’s behalf. “What’s that supposed to mean?”  
Jefferson took a deep sigh, before he put down the hat and looked at Rumplestiltskin with a small crease in his brow. “When you came here today… You took a walk through the forest?”  
“Yes,” Rumplestiltskin replied, feeling undignified that he was ignoring his earlier question. “We like to go out for long walks.”  
“You didn’t happen to approach this place from the east, did you?”  
The imp opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to remember. His eyes grew large as he realized that he had.   
“We did,” he admitted, feeling horrified. “Why? Why is that a bad thing?”  
Jefferson let out a deep sigh. “It’s spring. There’s some pollen in those flowers that affect people and animals. It makes them mad.”  
“Oh no…” Rumplestiltskin’s heart sank. “She was smelling those flowers on the way here.”  
“Yup. She’s mad now.”  
“You keep saying that word, but what do you mean? How mad? In what way? What can I expect? How can I cure her?”  
“You can’t cure her,” Jefferson replied. “There’s not a way that I know of, at least… But it will pass in a few days’ time. A week at most. It will probably get worse though, her erratic behavior. Best way to deal with it, is to give in to her whims. Her body will know what to do. If she asks you for extra blankets, give them to her, even if she is already burning up. If she asks for some fresh air, let it in. She’ll probably get really specific about the food she wants to eat, as well. Don’t feed her anything she doesn’t want, or it will end up on your carpet – if you still have that carpet.” Jefferson paused, narrowing his eyes slowly as he waited for a reply.   
“No, I traded it in Agrabah, ages ago,” Rumplestiltskin said absent-mindedly.   
“Well…” Jefferson shrugged before he took a sip from his cup of tea. “The good thing is that you’re out on the sea, and the pollen can’t bother you there. And if you’d like to take her out for a walk once she’s better, make sure to avoid certain forest areas in this time of year. People in Wonderland do really weird things in springtime.”  
Rumplestiltskin nodded, feeling nothing but worry for Belle, and he got up from his stool.   
“I’m afraid I don’t have a task for you yet, Jefferson. But here.” He waved a hand and a basket of gold appeared by the Hatter’s feet. “That’s for your advice. I hope you will still help her get a message to her father once she’s better?”  
“If she’s as sweet a girl as you say she is, then it would be my pleasure.”  
“Thank you.”  
Rumplestiltskin bowed briefly, and just as he was about to whisk away, Jefferson stopped him by getting up from his chair.   
“You really do care about her, don’t you?”

The Hatter looked at Rumplestiltskin with a knowing gaze, and though he wanted to deny it, he found himself unable to do so.   
“She’s all I’ve got,” he replied, averting his gaze from Jefferson’s. “I don’t want to lose her.”  
“Then go to her,” Jefferson encouraged him with a smile. “She needs you now.”

 

As Rumplestiltskin whisked back into the cabin, everything seemed to be perfectly still – save for one odd sound that he could not place. Opening the curtains to the cot, he saw his Belle, with dozens of blankets on top of her, her teeth clattering.   
“Rumple, I’m so cold!” she called out as she saw him, her entire body shivering. “This place is even worse than Arandelle! Please, please, could you light the stove?” She started crying as she found it took too long for him to acknowledge what she was saying, but once he reminded himself not to stare, he turned around and rushed to the stove, lighting a fierce fire inside.   
He immediately went to her side again, noticing the way her hair was sticking to her face, and he felt rather helpless as he looked at her.   
“Is there anything else I can do for you, sweetheart?” he asked gently, finding it horrible to watch her like this.   
“Hold me,” she asked him, tears coming to her eyes once more. “You’re always so delightfully warm…”  
He moved closer to her, but her confused gaze stopped him.  
“Aren’t you cold?” she asked him, a shiver running over her. “Quick, get underneath the blankets.”  
He did as she asked, immediately finding it too hot.   
“I wish I could read…” she complained. “But my fingers would fall off if I took them out from underneath the blankets. I hate that it’s freezing so much.”  
As an idea came to him, he eagerly turned to face her. “What would you like to read?”  
She bit her lip, thinking. “Something about dragons!”  
Remembering one of the books in the cabinet, he whisked it into his hand, and he opened it for her.   
“Here you go, sweetheart,” he said encouragingly. “I’ll flip the pages for you.”  
She almost started crying again as she looked at him, and he worried he was doing something wrong, until she sobbed: “You’re so sweet and thoughtful! And all I do is hold you down…”  
Noticing how she was growing more depressed by the second, he quickly tried to divert her attention.   
“No, you don’t,” he assured her. “In fact, this is a book I have wanted to read myself. Would you like to read it to me?”  
Hearing those words, she sniffed, and she quickly nodded. “Oh, of course, Rumplestiltskin! Anything you ask!”  
As she started reading, he dared to let out a relieved sigh, but he made sure she did not notice it. Her madness wasn’t so bad so far, he thought to himself, but he remained cautious. He had no doubt that her mood would swing again, and he’d be there for her when it did.

 

As she finished the story, he noticed that she had kicked off a few blankets already, and she looked even sweatier than before.   
“It’s so hot here now,” she remarked. “I think that the stove should go out. At least for a little while.”  
Without hesitating, he immediately obeyed her.   
“Shall I whisk the stove out of the room?” he asked eagerly, glad to get the bloody thing away from them. The place felt like a sauna, and his leather was sticking to his skin because of it.   
“Yes, that would be great,” she remarked as she threw off some more blankets. “I’m sweating. Perhaps I should take a bath.”  
“Shall I fill one up for you?” he suggested.   
“I would love that.”  
“Hot water?” he asked.   
“Not too hot,” she replied, smiling, and he hurried out of the cot to get the bath ready for her.  
Once she was soaking in the water, Rumplestiltskin paced through the cabin, hoping that she’d be back to her usual self soon. He wondered if she’d be aware herself of her odd behavior, or if it was something that she would never remember.   
“What are you doing here?!”   
Rumplestiltskin jumped as he heard Belle’s voice from behind the folding screen, and for an instant he worried that someone else was in the room.   
“Belle?” he called out, but she kept quiet a few moments longer.   
“What? Is my father here?”  
He heard how she got out of the bathtub, and he quickly peered around the corner of the folding screen. He did not focus on Belle’s naked backside, but made sure nobody else was there before he walked away again, hoping that she’d stop being delusional soon.  
“Well, send him in. We can’t keep the king waiting!” she cried out happily.  
Nothing could describe how awkward Rumplestiltskin felt as he heard Belle walk around, talking to nobody at all.   
“Ah, papa, it’s so good to see you again. I trust Jefferson gave you my message? … Yes, I have missed you too, but I’m an explorer now – I travel from world to world – and I’m learning magic! Do you want to see me spin gold? … Oh. Oh papa! That is wonderful! Thank you so much! Yes, I’m certain mother would want me to take this with me too. It was her favorite.”  
She sounded so cheerful, that despite the fact that it was all not really happening, Rumplestiltskin still smiled as he heard her. At least she seemed to be happy.   
When she started singing, Rumplestiltskin let out a relieved sigh, and when she called out for him, he immediately turned in her direction, even though she was still behind the folding screen and he could not see her.  
“Yes, princess?” he asked cautiously.   
“I’m hungry. I want to have some salmon.”  
Glad that he still had some left, he smiled. “Of course, princess. Would you like something else with it?”  
“Potato salad,” she replied. “And lettuce. And white wine.”  
“As you wish!” he called out, and he immediately started decking the table with magic.   
He summoned one of the many bottles of white wine to him, and tried to read the label. He hated reading, but he wanted to make sure that he had made the right decision, and he frowned as he focused on the words, willing the letters to keep still in front of his eyes.  
He was focusing so hard, that he hardly noticed Belle as she emerged from behind the folding screen and made her way over to her chair. When he looked up to watch her, he startled so much that the bottle slipped from his fingers and fell with a crash to the ground, and Belle looked up in alarm.   
“Rumplestiltskin!” she called out. “What’s wrong? Are you alright?”  
His mouth dropped as he watched her from head to toe. Nothing was wrong, except for the fact that she wasn’t wearing any clothes at all, and he wasn’t quite certain what to think. She was more beautiful than he had imagined in his wildest imagination, and he willed his member to keep still as she approached him, unable to tear his gaze away from her small, but beautifully round breasts.   
“Lost your tongue?” she asked him, smiling. “Hey… My eyes are up here!”  
He looked up at her, his face flushed and he did not understand how she could be so calm about this. Why wasn’t she bothered by her lack of clothing? Or by him watching her?  
“Too revealing?” she asked him, looking a little worried.  
He nodded slowly, and a laugh erupted from her lips.  
“Oh, Rumplestiltskin… You’re such a prude.” She giggled as she turned her back to him and made her way to her chair again.  
He could not help but look at her bum, surprised that she wasn’t even wearing underwear, and as she sat down on her chair, he reminded himself that he had dropped the bottle of wine, and he cleaned it up with a wave of his hand. Summoning another bottle of white wine – and this time not bothering to read on the label which one it was – he hurried to her side, opening the bottle to pour her a glass.   
“It was my mother’s,” she suddenly said, and Rumplestiltskin frowned.   
“What was?”  
“The dress, of course!” she exclaimed, and she shook her head as she took the glass of wine and sipped from it.   
“What dress?” he asked, feeling horribly confused as he moved to his side of the table and sat down, trying not to look at her.  
She rolled her eyes and stood up again, spinning around.   
“This one, duh,” she replied. “Isn’t it beautiful?”  
“Yes, yes it is,” he quickly muttered, all sorts of butterflies racing through his stomach as he tried not to look at her naked body. He was starting to realize that she thought she was wearing clothing – her mother’s clothing, probably given to her by her imaginary father when he had just visited her.   
“You’re not even looking!” she cried out. “It’s the only thing of my mother’s I have here, and you’re not even interested!”  
“I am!” he replied, his frustration rising as he looked at her, hoping she would not make this more awkward for him than it already was. An idea came to him, and he said: “Are you certain you want to wear such a fine dress while having dinner though? Perhaps it’s better to quickly change into your nightgown or something? You can still put on the dress after dinner.”   
He hoped that by the time their dinner was finished, she’d have forgotten all about it.   
“Don’t worry,” she said sweetly and she took the napkin from the table and placed it in her naked lap. “I won’t ruin it.”  
As she began eating, Rumplestiltskin had no idea what to do. What on earth was she going to think of him if she remembered this moment once she was better? He could only remind himself not to stare, and as he began eating, he looked pretty miserable.   
“What’s wrong?” he heard her ask, her tone as compassionate as always.   
“Nothing,” he replied quietly, quickly putting some potato salad in his mouth, and he noticed how she shifted in her seat.   
“You’re upset…” she said slowly, and he could hear the regret in her tone. “Did I do something wrong?”  
He forced himself to look at her – trying to keep his eyes on hers in order not to lose focus – and shook his head. “No, sweetheart, you didn’t do anything wrong.”  
She seemed okay with dropping it for now, even though she looked a little sad as she finished her meal, and she stretched and yawned before she got up from her chair.   
“I think I’ll take a quick nap,” she announced and as she got up from her seat and walked over to him, Rumplestiltskin froze in his seat. He looked at her with wide eyes as she bent over and gave him a hug, the entire sent of her filling him up and making it really hard for him to breathe. As she made her way to the bed, Rumplestiltskin watched her with longing in his eyes. He could not believe how beautiful she was as she crawled into the cot and closed the curtains behind her.   
True, he had often dreamed of seeing Belle naked – but not like this – not while she was delusional. This was pure agony to him, and he decided to try and spin. Perhaps he could even forget about her smooth, beautiful skin, and her wonderful curves, and that little patch of curls that hid the greatest treasure of all. Sighing longingly, he began his spinning, but he was unable to put her out of his mind. 

It was nearing midnight when she called out for him again, and from the way she spoke his name, he knew that she realized she was naked.   
“Why am I naked?” she asked from behind the curtain, and he let out a relieved sigh. Had she finally snapped out of those delusions?  
“It’s a long story,” Rumplestiltskin replied, standing up from behind the spinning wheel and when she opened the curtain of the cot, he saw that she had wrapped a sheet around her, and she was blushing as she looked at him.   
“I remember feeling very cold, and then…” Her eyes grew large. “Was my father here?”  
Rumplestiltskin shook his head.   
“No, I’m afraid he wasn’t, princess.”  
She looked a little sad as he said that, and pouted as she crawled out of the bed, slowly walking over to him.  
“Will you come to bed too?” she asked softly, and he smiled and nodded, glad that the worst was over.   
As she disappeared behind the folding screen again, he put on his nightgown with a wave of his hand, and he moved some of the excess blankets out of the cot before he crawled in there himself. He closed his eyes as he waited for her, and when he heard her slide the curtain open, he looked at her, freezing where he sat when he noticed that she hadn’t put on a nightgown at all. She closed the curtain behind her, and in the faint light, he saw her outline as she crawled on top of him, straddling him as she put her hands on his chest, and he felt like he couldn’t breathe.  
“Rumplestiltskin, I’ve been thinking,” she said slowly and seductively. “You and I… we… _us_ … we’re like a married couple, right?”  
He was unable to reply, feeling how his member was rising underneath the blanket, like a soldier that was being called into battle.   
“I like how we sleep together,” she continued sweetly. “But… I was wondering… Don’t you hold any desire for me… For _us_? Together?”  
She grabbed his hands from their place on top of the blanket, and placed them in her sides before she bent over, her face hovering only a few inches from his. He was trying to resist her, but the throbbing in his now fully-erect cock was getting more painful with each heartbeat, and he wished she would stop talking that way. Did she have any idea how irresistible she was?  
“I feel like I owe you this pleasure. For everything you have done for me.”  
She stroked his hair, and Rumplestiltskin gulped, unable to find any words at all.  
“What’s holding you back…” she whispered. “I want you… Isn’t that enough?”  
“Why?” he asked her, his voice hoarse. He was stalling for time. “Why would you want me?”  
“Who else would I want?” she replied, bringing her mouth even closer to his, and Rumplestiltskin could feel her breath on his lips. “You’re the only one here… And I’ve got desires too, Rumplestiltskin. I know there will never be anyone else here, traveling with us, so I think… _we_ should do this.”  
He gulped heavily as he looked at her, and when he saw how she was closing the last inch between them, he suddenly turned his face away, leaving her to kiss his cheek.   
Noticing this, she felt confused. “Don’t you want me?” she asked, the hurt obvious from her tone as she sat up again.  
Looking back at her, he noticed the way she slouched her shoulders. If anything, it only made her breasts look more beautiful to him, but he quickly banned that thought from his brain.   
“Of course I want you,” he admitted. “But… not like this.”  
She looked at him with a confused expression. “What do you mean?”  
He took a deep breath. He couldn’t just tell her that she was delusional, and so he gave another reply which was just as honest. “I don’t want you to take me out of pity, or necessity. I know there’s nobody else aboard this ship, but I don’t want you to offer yourself to me because of that. If you want to have intercourse with me, then I want it to be because you feel something for me, something more than desire.”  
She moaned, disappointed by his words, and she rolled off him, arching her back as she brought her hand to her lower curls.   
“But I’m aching for you,” she whispered as she pouted. “What am I supposed to do then?”   
Gulping, he looked into her bright blue eyes, which seemed to plead to him to help her out.   
“You can…” He could not believe that he was suggesting it. “You could relieve yourself.”  
She turned on her side, one hand underneath her head as she looked at him, and he could not stop his eyes from traveling over her perfect body. He could not believe he was passing up this opportunity, but he knew she would never forgive him if he took advantage of her now.   
“Help me?” she asked curiously, and she looked at him with an eager expression in her eyes.  
“Wait - what?” he asked, surprised.   
“Help me relieve myself,” she whispered, leaning closer to him, and as one hand traveled to the patch of curls, Rumplestiltskin could not help but look at her hand as she put it between her legs, and he felt like he should move away now he still could.   
“Please, Rumplestiltskin,” she begged him, opening her legs for him as she took his hand and pulled it towards her. “I beg you to help me…”  
_This was madness._ She was never going to forgive him for this, but at the same time he had not forgotten Jefferson’s words either. He had to give into her whims. Or did he?  
Pulling his hand away, he shook his head. “No, Belle, I can’t do this.”  
He had hardly said those words, or he could see the tears in her eyes, and the sweat on her forehead began to form again.   
“Please,” she begged him more urgently now. “Do this for me, and you can go again…”  
Uncertain what to do, he hesitated, but her moans became less ecstatic and sounded like she was filled with pain, and he found himself unable to put her through that.   
“Alright,” he gave in. “I’ll help you find your release.”  
Her tears made way for a smile, and she once more took his hand and placed it on her patch of curls.   
“Go on,” she encouraged him, and he gulped nervously.   
“I’m not…” he hesitated. “I’m not very experienced in this sort of thing…”  
He had seen a few things in his years as the Dark One, and there had been his marriage to Milah, of course. But that sex life had been disastrous, especially after Bae’s birth, and Rumplestiltskin feared he didn’t remember much of it. After all, he had tried to ban most thoughts of his former wife from his mind. They had hurt too much.   
Slipping his finger in her fold, he looked at her with fear in his eyes. What if she disliked it? What if he would be unable to give her the release she so craved? Would he make her even sicker then?  
He noticed how her bud was a little swollen, and she moaned gently as he moved his finger around it, arching her back in anticipation.   
“Oh, Rumple,” she moaned, closing her eyes, and he knew that he was getting ridiculously wet for her as well.   
She, on the other hand, wasn’t very wet around her bud, and he let his finger travel a little deeper down her fold, surprised to find how slick she was near her entrance. With his fingers wet, he travelled back to her bud, and slowly started circling it. Her moans increased in volume as he circled her faster and faster, and his mouth turned dry as he watched her writhe underneath his touch.   
“Gods, yes,” she moaned, moving against his fingers. “This is incredible,” she added breathlessly. “Just a little more… Faster, Rumple… Faster…”  
He obeyed her like the lovesick fool that he was, and when she finally came undone, he did not move his hand away, but waited until she opened her eyes again. He had to admit that he felt a little proud to look at her satisfied expression, and she brought her hand to his cheek, which caused his erection to twitch as he was now aching for release himself.   
As she looked at him with nothing but affection in her eyes, she admitted: “You were amazing, Rumplestiltskin… But I’m still aching for you. Perhaps we should take this one step further.”  
She giggled as she saw his wide eyes.   
“Come on, don’t look so alarmed. I’m not a child. I’m of age, and I want you to be my hero. I want you to be my first. Come…”  
She opened her legs some more as she started lifting his nightgown, but he tried to fight it with all his might.   
“There’s something you must know,” he suddenly blurted out, and this made her stop. She looked at him with a curious expression, and he quickly said: “It will hurt a whole lot, Belle. If I’m your first, that is… You will bleed and you won’t like it…”  
“But I want you, I can feel it,” she tried to assure him, tugging at his nightgown again.  
“I know, sweetheart,” he said gently as an idea came to his mind and he pushed her hands away from his nightgown. “I know a way to make it painless for you. That way you can have pleasure from this as well.”  
She looked at him with wide eyes, and smiled eagerly. “Oh… tell me!”  
A relieved grin spread over his face, and he was glad that his plan was working. “I have a potion for that! Wait… Let me go and get it!”  
She let go of him, and he hurried out of the bed, walking towards his cabinet, looking for one potion that should help him deal with this entire situation without taking her virginity from her when she was delusional.   
As he returned to the bed, he offered her the small purple vial, and she uncorked it.   
“So if I drink this, it won’t hurt?”  
“That’s right,” he encouraged her. “It will be a pleasure for us both.”  
As she gulped down the bottle, Rumplestiltskin let out a relieved sigh, and as she started pulling at his nightgown again, he noticed how in a matter of seconds, her grip loosened on him, until her eyes closed and a deep sleep overtook her.   
Letting out a ragged breath, he sat back from her a little, watching her sleep, her legs still opened wide for him, and he took hold of one of her knees to close them.   
“Gods, Belle,” he muttered. “You make it hard for a man to resist temptation.”  
Looking at her naked body one last time, he transformed into his scaly appearance before he clothed her in her nightgown with magic, and he retreated to his study to relieve himself – not once, but twice as he found the thought of her too much to put out of his mind. 

  
  
_(Art by Agent-Jaselin)_


	23. Aftermath

When Belle woke, she felt a feeling of hunger as though she had not eaten in days, and everything was a blur to her. Rumplestiltskin was sleeping by her side, but something was different. He had his back turned to her, and was curled up as though he was trying to make himself as small as he possibly could.   
Slowly, she started to remember what had happened – how she had cried after their visit to the Hatter, how she had seen her father, and he had given her an old dress of her mother’s, how she had woken up completely naked, and how…  
Her eyes grew large as she sat up and looked at her nightgown. She could not remember putting it on… But she could remember asking Rumplestiltskin to…  
She started shaking as the memory of it came back to her. What she had asked, had been indecent, and after pushing him despite his objections, Rumplestiltskin had given in… And then… She had asked him for even more – for intercourse – and he had given her a potion to take away the pain. But now, she could not remember anything and she started shaking, wondering if they had really done it, and feeling horrible for not remembering any of it.   
As she tried to move further away from him, Rumplestiltskin noticed her stirring, and he was awake in an instant. He turned to look at her, but could hardly see anything in the dark, besides the fact that she was looking at him as well. With a flick of his wrist, he lit a candle against the cot’s wall, and he saw Belle’s terrified expression. It made his guts twitch violently, and he quickly transformed into his human appearance.   
“Belle,” he said slowly, feeling how his throat was completely dry. “You’re awake again.”  
Unable to find the right words, she started crying, and Rumplestiltskin was alarmed.   
It had been five days since the incident, and he had hoped that the disease would be out of her system, but he wasn’t so certain yet.   
“Do… do you remember…?” he tried to ask her, and when he saw her nod as she hid her face in her hands, he felt horrible.   
“I’m… I’m so sorry, Belle,” he tried to apologize. “I… I couldn’t… I gave you that potion because…”  
“…because you wanted me not to remember it?” she asked, sobbing.  
He frowned as he tried to understand her question, and when he realized what she meant, his eyes grew large and he violently shook his head.  
“No, Belle! No, that’s not what happened at all! I gave you a sleeping potion! I… I could not take advantage of you like that! I know you would have never asked me to have sex with you under any other circumstance. I was well aware that you were sick – I just needed a way to get it out of your system without… without more awkwardness.”  
His cheeks were flushing as he admitted it, and Belle calmed down a little bit, looking at him through her teary eyes.   
“So… eh… We did not have intercourse?” she asked, trying to make certain of it.   
“We did not,” he replied, feeling horrible that she had thought they had.   
“But I did… It was not a dream, was it? That I came to you… naked… and then… then I asked you…”  
She could not speak the words, because the idea alone was too horrible to her, and she suddenly started sobbing again, looking away from him as she tried to compose herself.   
“Belle, listen to me!” He grabbed her hand and forced her to look at him. “You were sick. Delusional. I know that you are a good girl – a decent girl – and that you acted in a way that wasn’t you. I’m sorry – so sorry – for touching you there. Jefferson told me that I needed to give in to your whims, in order to defeat the disease. I tried not to…”  
Hearing the desperation in his voice, she nodded. “I remember, Rumplestiltskin,” she admitted with a heavy lump in her throat. “I know I can’t blame you. I was… insistent.” She seemed to hate the fact that she had to admit that, and she did not stop crying either. “I feel… I feel so horrible.”  
“Don’t,” he said compassionately.   
“You don’t understand,” she cried softly. “I violated you – me – us!”  
“It wasn’t you,” he insisted. “It was a disease. It were the pollen – the same pollen that make people do silly things in springtime all over Wonderland. You were affected by them. Badly! I’m just happy that it wasn’t me who was affected by it as well. I don’t even want to imagine what I would have put you through in that case.”  
He lowered his head in shame, and Belle knew her heart was breaking. She could remember now how he had given into her every whim, how he had tried to make her happy. How he had turned the pages of the book she had wanted to read, how he had filled up her bathtub and how he had prepared her the meal she had asked for.   
She suddenly threw her arms around him and hugged him close, feeling him tense under her touch.   
“I’m so sorry, Rumple,” she whispered, and he noticed how she had stopped using his full name. She had also done it when she had been close to an orgasm, but now… Now it was different. He could hear the affection in her tone, and he slowly returned the hug, feeling rather horrible as well.   
“I feel bad as well, princess,” he said quietly. “I wanted to help you, but I should have given you a sleeping potion much sooner. I should not have touched you the way I did.”  
“It’s okay,” she whispered in his ear. “I don’t blame you. I asked you to do so. I’m so sorry I had to put you through that.”  
“You don’t have to apologize to me. It wasn’t so horrible for me,” he admitted a little shyly. “Awkward, yes, but not horrible at all.”  
She let out a relieved sigh as she pulled away from their hug and looked at him gently. “From what I remember, it wasn’t horrible for me either, Rumplestiltskin…”  
He noticed her blush, and he was certain that any second now, she’d be able to hear the fierce beating of his heart. Was she saying…?  
“It felt really good. You didn’t hurt me at all.” She shot him an apologetic gaze, and he felt his heart flutter because of it.   
“So eh…” He licked his lips. “No apologies are in order?”  
She giggled softly, taking a deep breath to steady herself some more. “I think not. So… we’re good? Do you think we can put this behind us?”  
“Yes,” he replied immediately, with hope in his tone. “I won’t treat you differently because of it. You’re still my pure and honest and beautiful princess.”  
Those words brought tears of gratitude to her eyes, and she leaned closer to kiss his cheek.   
“And you are still my honorable monster. And I love you because of it.”  
Those words caused his heart to skip a beat, and he looked at her with all the hope he felt. Perhaps one day, she would love him in a different way as well, and when she did, he would be able to bring her to a climax once more – only that time, she’d actually want him to. 

After breakfast, Rumplestiltskin retreated to his study, glad that Belle was back to her usual self and that things were alright between them again. Perhaps they were both a little shier than usual, and he had noticed her blush a few times as she looked at him from across the table.   
As he sat in his study, thinking of her, it did not take him a long time to grow completely hard, and he unbuttoned his pants as he transformed into his imp-like self. As he started stroking himself, his face contracted into one of complete agony and pain, but bliss as well. She was simply too beautiful, too amazing, and he wanted her so much… But he could not let her know. She would probably be terrified of him, and she certainly would never understand!  
When he heard a small cough though, his eyes suddenly flew open, and as he saw Belle standing in front of him, wearing her yellow dress and looking at him with so much compassion, he wasn’t certain what to do, but the color rose to his cheeks and he quickly tried to tuck himself away.   
This was no sight for a princess, and he wondered what had gotten over her to approach him while he was like this. Did she know nothing of men?  
“You’re in pain,” she said softly as she watched his agonized frown. “Let me help.”  
He started to sweat as she moved closer to him and bent down to reach into his pants. It was all going so quickly, and he was unable to coherently think of a way to stop her. The moment she grabbed hold of him, he gasped in surprise, and she startled. “I’m so sorry! Did that hurt you?”  
“No,” he replied breathlessly as he shook his head, unable to believe what was happening. Was he dreaming? Were the pollen affecting him now and giving him mad daydreams? No – she circled her finger around his tip and he bit his lip in order not to moan – this… this was real! “It just… it was unexpected.” He looked at her with wide eyes and she shot him an apologetic gaze before she moved her hand over his scaly member, and he threw back his head as he moaned.   
Even though she was hardly doing anything, he felt like he was not going to last long like this and he was absolutely amazed as he looked at her. Was this even really happening?   
Surely it had to be a dream? But no, it couldn’t be. He could see her shy blush, and the way she averted her eyes, and he could feel it – he had never felt anything quite like it in his body before.  
As her delicate hand started pumping him, he could hardly contain himself. He wanted to thrust into her hand, to ask her to grab him harder, but he found himself at a complete loss for words, the scent of her so near to him driving him completely wild.  
The speed at which he came was nothing to be proud of, and as his semen dripped over his shirt, he took a deep, shaky breath, unable to believe that it was already over – he still had trouble believing that it had even begun in the first place!   
“There…” Belle said as she let go of his now limp member, smiling softly as she averted her eyes. “That’s much better, isn’t it?”  
He looked at her in horror. What on earth had come over her, to do this? Was she still mad from the pollen?   
Noticing his silence, she asked him carefully: “Now we’re even, right?”  
He was still panting and was only able to nod breathlessly, unable to believe that she had felt like she needed to repay him for what he had done several days earlier. As she left his study and he watched her disappear into the cabin, he threw his head back once more, staring up at the ceiling in disbelief. Was she even real?


	24. The Letter

After Belle’s surprise, it took Rumplestiltskin nearly all day to pluck up the courage to venture into her company again, and when he opened the door, he found her sitting by the table, finishing the last words of the letter to her father.  
“Hey,” she greeted him sweetly, not at all appearing upset about anything she had done that morning.  
“Hey,” he greeted her softly, looking around a little awkwardly before he made his way over to her, knowing that he couldn’t hide from her forever.  
“I’m nearly done,” she informed him as she signed the letter, and she rolled up the parchment before she handed it to him, her smile causing his heart to flutter.  
He made his way over to his chair, fumbling with the letter in his hands, and wondered if it was a good idea to take Belle with him to Jefferson.  
“Belle, would you like to join me to Jefferson’s place, or would you rather stay here?”  
She bit her lip as she thought about it, and she finally shrugged.  
“Well… As long as I don’t get affected by those pollen again… I would not mind coming with you. But if it’s a brief visit, then I would not mind staying here either. I could get started on spinning the gold to repay him.”  
He nodded briefly. “Perhaps that’s better… I do regret not being able to show you this world though… It’s such a magical place. I’m afraid I don’t know it well enough to keep you safe.”  
He sighed, and Belle looked up at him with a warm smile.  
“You’re too kind, Rumple.”  
He looked up in surprise as she called him that again and could not hide the smile on his lips.  
“Perhaps you could leave some more straw before you go then?” She got up from her chair and made her way to the spinning wheel, arranging her yellow skirt around her as she sat down on the small stool.  
It made his heart ache just to watch her – the delicate way in which she let the straw run through her fingers, her beautiful hair as it fell over her bare shoulders, her posture straight and elegant, and he could not help but feel like she did not deserve to be locked up in here with him – and yet… she looked happy. But was she?  
Fearing the answer, he merely waved his hand to bring more straw to the basket, and with the parchment in his hand, he whisked himself to Jefferson.

When he returned to the ship just before nightfall, he took her with him to the deck, allowing her to watch the islands in the distance with his spyglass. That way, she could still see a little bit of Wonderland, without any risk of getting sick, and she was grateful for it. And though she looked at all the islands he indicated, he could not explain why she seemed to have more eyes for him than for the wonderful lands around them. It made his heart grow weak every time he noticed her glancing at him, and he tried not to think too much of it.  
But that evening, as Rumplestiltskin joined Belle in bed, he did not wrap his arms around her as she had her back turned to him. Instead, he turned his back to her as well, feeling a little miserable, despite her pleasant company just an hour earlier.  
It did not go unnoticed, and he could feel how Belle turned around to watch him.  
“What’s wrong, Rumple?” she asked, and the worry in her tone warmed his heart, yet it also hurt him.  
“Nothing,” he muttered, refusing to turn around.  
For a moment, she was at a loss for words, until he heard her say: “You’ve been rather quiet since you delivered my letter to Jefferson. Well – besides talking about all those islands, I guess… Did… did something go wrong? At Jefferson’s? Did he say something that upset you?”  
“No,” he replied briefly, and he sighed. “Everything’s alright.”  
“You don’t sound alright,” she remarked sadly, and he suddenly froze as he felt her wrap her arms around him, holding him close. “I’m here for you if you need to talk, you know that, right?”  
He could not believe that actual tears came to his eyes as she said that, and they streamed down his cheeks as he nodded, his voice hoarse as he replied. “Yeah. I do.”  
He had never been happier that she could not see his face.  
But even if he understood why he was feeling so weak right now, he found it difficult to talk to her about it. All day long he had felt like it had been a mistake to take her in. What she had done earlier on, had showed him just what a rare jewel she was. She was beautiful, she was light, but this entire journey was corrupting her. His presence had to be corrupting her. And sooner or later, she’d realize how amazing she was as well, and how horrible he was in comparison, and she’d grow sick of him. Everybody always did.  
But he could not find it in his heart to move away from her, and as she wrapped her arms around his chest a little tighter, he felt the ache in his heart weigh him down.  
He had known that wonderful things would happen if he’d take her in… He just hadn’t realized how wonderful they would be, and how much every sweet smile of hers would remind him of all the heartache he had endured in his past. Perhaps it was the punishment for his crime. He had stolen an angel, and he could not imagine there would be a happily ever after for them. Angels and demons never mixed well.

After a few days, Belle feared that her boldness had cost them their friendship. She had thought it to be a nice surprise, to help him relieve himself, like he had helped her when she had been sick. But it could not be more obvious that he was avoiding her now. He spent most of the days on deck, steering the ship through still waters. Every time she’d ask him to spend time with her, he’d tell her that the sea was treacherous, and he was needed on deck. He sometimes gave her his spyglass, but it seemed like he just did so to shut her up. Every time she looked over the railing, she could not imagine seeing calmer waters. Even the Black Bones seemed bored out of their minds.  
Nights were becoming the worst. He no longer wrapped his arms around her, and though she moved closer to him every night, often placing her hand on his back in an attempt to give him the comfort he had so appreciated during their first weeks together, she was afraid that her attentions were unwanted.  
He had stopped smiling, and in those few moments she caught him looking at her, she saw nothing but sadness and guilt, and she had no idea how to get through to him anymore. His mood was getting progressively worse.  
On their fifth night together like this, they woke by the loud whistling of the teapot, and they knew Jefferson was back in Wonderland. Belle should have felt ecstatic because of it. He would bring her the first news of her home in months, yet she could not help but feel down when she saw Rumplestiltskin put on his clothes, his shoulders slightly hunched over before he sighed deeply, sounding defeated, and whisked away.  
She got up out of bed herself, and after brushing through her hair, she started pacing around in the cabin. She wondered what was taking Rumplestiltskin so long, and when he appeared half an hour later, she immediately spotted the roll of parchment in his hand. As she stepped closer to him, she recognized the royal seal, and her heart beat even faster when he offered it to her, a small smile coming to her face at the thought of hearing from her father again.  
But as she looked at Rumplestiltskin and saw the misery on his face, she hesitated.  
Part of her wanted to know what her father had to say, but another part of her feared his words as well. It wasn’t certain that he would give her the blessing she so craved. She wanted to read that he loved her, and that he was happy that she had found the adventure she had always wanted, and that she had made such a good friend, but she feared that it would be quite the opposite.  
Perhaps it was better to not know.  
As she kept her eyes locked on Rumplestiltskin, she suddenly smiled, and as she channeled all her hope and optimism through her heart, she suddenly lit the parchment aflame in her hand.  
Rumplestiltskin startled and gasped, not even aware that she knew how to perform that bit of magic – and in fact, she didn’t. No sooner had she incinerated the parchment, or the hot ashes hit the palm of her hand, and she suddenly yelped in pain.  
“Belle!” He cried out in confusion and he immediately grabbed hold of her hand, turning scaly as he tried to heal the red-white blisters away with a purple glow.  
Feeling the burning pain subside again, she let out a relieved sigh, but Rumplestiltskin still looked at her like she was mad.  
“Why did you do that? That was a letter of your father!”  
“Yeah I know,” she said softly, and she looked at him with a hopeful gaze in her eyes.  
He didn’t understand at all, and looked at her in horror. “Why, Belle? You could have written him back – you didn’t even read it!”  
“I don’t need to,” she replied, watching her hand as it was fully healed again, and she grabbed both of Rumplestiltskin’s scaly hands without hesitation. “I feel better, knowing he read my letter. That’s enough for me. If he wishes me the best, then that’s great, and if he doesn’t, I don’t need to know that. My mind’s made up. I’m staying with you.”  
The certainty in her voice made his mouth drop as he looked at her, and as he saw the hope in her eyes, he did not know what to feel, but if he did not say something soon, he knew he was going to end up a blubbering, emotional wreck. Without hesitation, he suddenly drew her into a hug, and she was just in time to wrap her arms around his shoulders as well, pressing him as close to her as she could.  
“Why would you even want to stay with me?” he wondered in miserable terror.  
She chuckled softly as she pulled away from him and put her hands on his shoulders, looking him in the eye without fear. “Why wouldn’t I want to stay?” she asked him with a smile. “I care for you, Rumplestiltskin, and it would break my heart to leave you alone. Besides… I’m having too much fun here. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I feel alive. And it’s all because of you.”  
Her words were too high a praise to him. Surely she had to be lying? But as he looked into her beautiful blue eyes, he did not mark any deception. She was speaking from her heart, and it was having a direct effect on his, leaving him bleeding in agony.  
She would leave him – he knew she would – but not tonight, and probably not this week either, and hopefully not before the month was over. But everyone always left him. And if anyone deserved to live without his bad luck in their lives, then it was Belle.  
“Sweetheart,” his voice was weak as he called her that, and she even noticed the way in which his lip trembled. “I’m a monster. Are you… Are you really certain that this is what you want?”  
The pain she saw in his eyes, caused her own gaze to turn sadder, yet she nodded in reply. “Yes. You’re not a monster to me. You’re my friend.”  
At those words, he could not help but to smile miserably, and as Belle saw his expression, she wrapped her arms around him once more.  
“You torture yourself so much,” she said quietly. “Why don’t you just enjoy what we have? Stop worrying if you’re good enough for me or not. I want to spend my time with you – see other worlds with you. Is that so difficult to believe?”  
He shook his head, and he felt a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach as he realized that – eventually – she’d grow tired of their trips – and of him. Perhaps she would stay with him for years to come, but once they’d get to the same worlds, over and over again, and she’d seen it all, then she would still leave him. But perhaps – just perhaps – she’d be able to enjoy his company for longer than most people usually did, and that would have to be enough to him.  
“It is difficult to believe,” he admitted with a soft smile on his lips. “But if you say that’s what you want, then I will try and make you happy.” He pulled back from her again and for the first time in days, his smile reached his eyes again. “I promised you I would try everything in my power to make you happy. I feel like I haven’t been making good on that promise. I’m sorry for that. But I’ll try and make up for it.”  
She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek, and she softly yanked his hand with her to the bed.  
“Come,” she encouraged him. “Let’s get some sleep then – proper sleep, with your arms around me – not the kind where I’m left staring at your shoulder all night.”  
He chuckled. “When you’re sleeping, you’re not supposed to have your eyes open,” he replied playfully, and she managed a small giggle.  
“I can’t help it that you have very distracting shoulders,” she teased him as she crawled into bed, and he followed close behind her.  
When he wrapped his arms around her again, it felt like coming home, and he closed his eyes as he nuzzled her hair, feeling how Belle was leaning into him, glad to have him so near.  
“Sleep well, Rumple.”  
“Sleep well, my Belle.”

The next morning, Rumplestiltskin visited Jefferson again, bringing him three pots filled with golden thread, all which Belle had spun in his absence.  
“Beautiful,” Jefferson remarked, letting the thread run through his fingers. “I hope the princess wasn’t too upset with her father’s reply?”  
Rumplestiltskin was a bit taken aback by those words, and frowned. “What do you mean?”  
Jefferson shrugged, looking as innocent as possible. “Weren’t you there when she read the letter?”  
“Did you…” Rumplestiltskin’s eyes widened in realization. “You read her father’s message!”  
With a smug look on his face, Jefferson nodded. “That I did. Obviously.”  
Staring at his friend for several moments, the Dark One really had to force himself to wake up. He was torn. He wasn’t certain if he had to feel angry or curious with his friend, but it was curiosity that won over.  
“What did he write?” he suddenly wondered, taking a step closer to Jefferson as the Hatter sat down in-between his pots of gold, taking all the golden threads from the pots and spreading them over his lap, letting out a pleased sigh as he basked in his new wealth.  
“Well… From what I remember… It started off alright, saying that he was glad that she was alright and still alive. And then it got progressively worse. Reminding her that she had a duty to the throne to fulfill, that Gaston would still like to marry her, as long as she was untouched by you, and then he went on for a few paragraphs about what could possibly be wrong with her for loving you.”  
Those last words felt like Jefferson had just punched him to the ground, and he looked at the Hatter in horror.  
“Say what?”  
Jefferson didn’t really notice anything wrong with what he was saying, and casually explained: “Well, it’s what she wrote in her letter that really ticked the king off. About that she felt a really strong connection to you and that she loved you dearly and refused to leave your side. I think she was pushing it a bit. I mean… Every other girl would know it would be a bad idea to admit to their father that they love the Dark One.” As he saw Rumplestiltskin’s shocked expression, the Hatter’s eyes grew large and his mouth dropped as well. “Oh my hat… you didn’t know, did you?”  
Rumplestiltskin stumbled backwards and sat down on one of Jefferson’s tiny stools, running his hand over his face as he tried to make sense of it all.  
“I thought you already knew. I mean… before I read her letter, I thought you guys were already sleeping together or something – even despite her shocked display at what I insinuated the other day. Well… I know now that I was mistaken about that part, but Rumple, trust me, from what I read, she’s really into you, if not on a physical, then at least on a platonic level.” Jefferson pulled a face at those words, but Rumplestiltskin didn’t even notice.  
It was all too much for him. The idea that she wanted to be with him, had already confused him enough, but if what Jefferson said was true and she loved him? So soon? So easily? While he had done nothing to gain her favor in particular? (Or at least that was what it felt like to him.)  
“Come on, man!” Jefferson looked up at Rumplestiltskin with a mad grin. “I’m happy for you! Why can’t you be happy for yourself?”  
At those words, a small smile came to his face, and he shook his head. “This is all very unexpected,” he admitted, and Jefferson grinned. “I… I don’t know what to do.”  
“Maybe…” Jefferson thought about it for a moment. “Maybe tell her how you feel? Perhaps she is a bit shy, and she needs a little more certainty before she admits any of her feelings to you?”  
“Yes, because every princess wants to hear the Dark One proclaim his love for her,” he replied sarcastically, and Jefferson knew that it was a testament of their friendship how Rumplestiltskin didn’t deny the feelings he held for Belle.  
“Well…” Jefferson scratched his chin. “How about wooing her properly? You know: roses, chocolates… tokens of your appreciation.”  
The imp frowned as he thought about that. “I guess I’ve already been doing some of that. I’ve given her lots of books already.”  
“Books aren’t chocolates,” Jefferson said playfully.  
“Exactly,” Rumplestiltskin agreed with some pride in his voice. “To Belle, books are better. And I have given her chocolates too… After dinner, sometimes.”  
Jefferson chuckled. “What about romantic walks then?”  
“Well, we do those too,” Rumplestiltskin admitted. “Though the last time we had a walk together, was when we came here, and we both know how disastrous that ended.”  
Jefferson sucked on his bottom lip as he tried to think of other things.  
“Take her shopping?”  
“Done that too.”  
“No wonder she loves you!”  
“When you put it that way, I suppose I should not be so surprised to realize I’ve won some of her affection.”  
The two men both chuckled, and Jefferson shook his head as he laughed softly.  
“I’m truly happy for you, Rumplestiltskin. I have my home here now, in Wonderland. But you deserve a home too. If you can make one with Belle aboard your ship, then you should do it.”  
Rumplestiltskin sighed softly as he thought of his Belle, waiting for him at this very moment, and Jefferson smiled as he noticed it.  
“Look, Rumple… The two of you have an eternity together on that ship of yours. There is no need to rush anything. Her feelings for you will become even stronger as time goes by.”  
Those words didn’t sit well with Rumplestiltskin, and he corrected his friend. “You mean that they will become stronger before they turn weaker? Because they will turn weaker eventually. One day she’ll see me for the monster I am, and I doubt she’ll feel much love for me then.”  
“Not all loves are like that,” Jefferson said softly. “But you must have faith in her and in her heart. She is a pure creature. I can’t see her hurting your heart.”  
“Doesn’t mean that she won’t,” Rumplestiltskin replied sadly, and he got up from his chair again.  
Jefferson noticed his intention to leave, and spoke up: “Hey, Rumple…”  
The imp looked up with an emotionless expression, and Jefferson shot him a hopeful smile.  
“At least try to enjoy yourself while you have your love. Do that, and no matter how it ends, you can’t blame yourself for what the future will bring.”  
Letting the words sink in, he kept quiet for a moment, but eventually the Dark One nodded and smiled.  
“Thank you, old friend.”  
Jefferson bared his teeth as he smiled. “Anytime!”

 

" _When he returned to the ship just before nightfall, he took her with him to the deck, allowing her to watch the islands in the distance with his spyglass. That way, she could still see a little bit of Wonderland, without any risk of getting sick, and she was grateful for it. And though she looked at all the islands he indicated, he could not explain why she seemed to have more eyes for him than for the wonderful lands around them. It made his heart grow weak every time he noticed her glancing at him, and he tried not to think too much of it._ " - art by [me](http://heartoftheship.tumblr.com/post/73124571861/illustration-for-the-upcoming-chapter-of-heart-of)


	25. The Boiling Sea

Rumplestiltskin tried to make the best of the days that followed, and like Jefferson had encouraged him to do, he tried to make the most of the time he spent with Belle. He wasn’t certain if she truly loved him. Perhaps on a platonic level, she did, and Rumplestiltskin had to admit that she was like an angel to him. She was like a mother, child, sister, friend and lover all in one. It made it very difficult for him to guess in which way she liked him most.  
What if he were to make a move, but only ended up in pushing her further away from him by doing so? That was the last thing he wanted. No, perhaps it was wiser to let her come to him instead. After all, was that not fairer? She was so much younger, and he hardly wanted to force her into something she was not ready for.  
As the ship crossed ocean after ocean, they found a new activity to engage in. They kept on reading and practicing magic and sword fighting, but during the afternoons, they would often sit on the warm deck, fishing. Wonderland held many ridiculously colorful fish, and they made it a game to fish for the funniest looking-one. Comparing their catches usually ended up with them bickering about which fish was the most amazing one, but it was something they both enjoyed doing – even when Belle always seemed to end up with the winning fish.  
But after four days of playing that game, and a few hours of looking at nothing but their fishing rods, it seemed like they were out of luck and unable to catch anything, and Belle wondered why they weren’t catching any more fish. As Rumplestiltskin thought about her question and looked over the port bow, he saw his answer in the distance, and he felt his happy mood sink away like snow in the sun.  
“What is it?” Belle demanded to know as she noticed his furrowed brow.  
“The Boiling Sea,” he replied quietly. “We might have a problem.”  
“How so?”  
Sighing, Rumplestiltskin put his fishing rod on one of the chests on deck and Belle followed his lead before she followed him inside his study. He spun the globe and its lines lit up, showing Belle a map of Wonderland.  
“This area,” he indicated as he showed her a large sea. “This is the Boiling Sea. It would take us a week to cross by water. If we actually could…”  
“We can’t?”  
“The ship’s made of wood. Assuming we wouldn’t burn our own ship, then I’m not certain you would appreciate the temperatures or survive. It gets too hot in those waters. You’d almost literally melt away.”  
The princess gulped as she tried to imagine that.  
“So the reason it’s so warm outside, isn’t because it’s almost summer, but because we are close to the Boiling Sea?”  
Rumplestiltskin nodded. “Yes. But I fear we must go through it, and hope that we won’t have to drop anchor in the middle of this place. The Black Bones know where they need to take us. If I give them the order, they will guide the ship around it, but that might not be what we want. We have a deadline to catch, and the full moon will not wait for us. It will pass, and if we miss the crossing over, then there’s no telling when the next one will be. Could be next month, or two years, or ten. There’s never a way to tell.”  
Belle understood that it was pivotal that they caught their deadline, and she nodded with a serious expression on her face.  
“So how are we going to cross it?” Belle wondered, not liking this challenge as it presented itself to them.  
“Leave that to me,” Rumplestiltskin said with sudden determination on his face. “If we can’t go through it, we must go above it. I think I know a way.”  
Belle looked at him curiously and was about to say something, when Rumplestiltskin interrupted her: “I’ll need to find it first, but when I do, we can fly over the Boiling Sea without any trouble whatsoever.”  
“Fly?” she repeated eagerly, and Rumplestiltskin shot her a warm grin.  
“You’ll love it, trust me on that.”

But unfortunately, she didn’t.  
“I hate this idea!” she called out, rubbing her arms as though the thought of his plan brought her shivers.  
Rumplestiltskin looked like a toddler who just got scolded as Belle paced on the deck in front of him.  
“Rumple, it’s wrong. It’s a horrible idea. It’s cruel and beastly.”  
Rumplestiltskin lifted the glass lantern in which he had captured a small fairy, and looked at the purple fairy with longing in his eyes.  
“But Belle,” he tried to convince her. “This fairy has enough fairy dust to keep the ship in mid-air for days. And she knows that she can’t disobey us, or we’ll all fall to our deaths in the boiling water, and she’d come with us.”  
Belle hated every bit of his plan. He had disappeared for two hours, and when he had returned, he had shown her the captured fairy. Apparently, he had felt quite proud for not hurting the despicable creature, but Belle did not condone his cruel capture of the fairy. Nobody deserved to be locked up in a glass cage, but it seemed like Rumplestiltskin didn’t see it the same way.  
“Belle…” He was losing some of his patience. “The longer we stand here arguing, the more likely we are to miss our rendezvous point. I say that we use the fairy’s dust to cross the Boiling Sea.”  
“Why can’t you leave her a choice?” Belle argued. “How can you be serious about forcing her against her will?”  
“If I left her a choice, she would not choose to help us,” Rumplestiltskin reminded the princess. “Kindness does not run among fairies. They won’t be willing to help us out of the goodness of their hearts. They may look a zillion times more appealing than I do, but their hearts are just as corrupted by the power of magic. I propose to use her instead. I do not want to lose any more time before we cross over to the next world.”  
Even though she did not agree, she sighed and nodded, realizing that it was not her call to make. “Just don’t hurt her.”  
“I won’t,” Rumplestiltskin said solemnly, and the next moment, he transformed into the Dark One and whisked to the highest mast of the ship, where he put the lantern with the fairy in it on top of the wooden pole. Belle looked up from below, and could see how fairy dust slowly spread over the ship, and as Rumplestiltskin jumped down, he landed in front of her with a huge grin, and Belle wondered why he looked so incredibly happy.  
“Now think happy thoughts, princess,” he encouraged her, running to the railing to look into the water. “If you can’t think something nice, you’ll hold us down.” He turned to watch Belle, quickly turning to his human self before he smiled at her encouragingly.  
She sighed. “That’s not easy, considering the fact that you just put that poor fairy on top of the ship. Who says she isn’t afraid of heights?”  
Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes. “She’s a fairy, Belle. She spends her day in the clouds, looking down at people and laughing at their miserable lives. I doubt she’s afraid of heights.”  
His words were cruel, but animated at the same time, and Belle shook her head with a small smile on her face. “You’re not particularly nice to fairies.”  
“But I’m nice to you, am I not?” he asked as he stepped closer to her, putting his hands in her sides and looking at her with a hopeful look, and perhaps even with a look that Belle would describe as ‘flirty’. “I’ve been trying to make you happy, Belle. Please show me that I did,” he pleaded softly, and her heart grew a little weak because of it. “The ship needs your happiness. I need it.”  
She suddenly smiled and bowed her head, chuckling to herself.  
“You can be quite persuasive, Rumplestiltskin.”  
Grinning, he let go of her and peered down into the water, which was now dozens of meters below them.  
“I’m glad for it!” he replied triumphantly, and Belle rushed over to him to look down into the water as well. When she looked up at him again, he had transformed into the Dark One, and she noticed how a fierce wind was blowing in the sails, giving them extra speed.  
“Travelling through the air is much quicker than through the water,” he cried out as he rushed over the stairs towards the helm. “A week through water… I bet we can do it in less than three days through the air. And we won’t have anything to look out for. It’s going to be one smooth trip, I promise you that!”  
Belle was happy for it, and figured that perhaps, she could repay the fairy for all these troubles. As she left Rumplestiltskin behind the wheel, she decided to spend her time on spinning gold. It seemed like the right thing to do.

The only thing that caused Belle a little grief during those days, was that Rumplestiltskin would not sleep or have dinner with her while he was at the helm. He would whisk all the food to her that she desired, but he would not hold her company, saying that his attention was required on deck.  
So instead, when she grew sick of spinning, she grabbed a book and sat down on deck while he stood behind the helm, and she read to him as she usually did.  
Not only did this make Rumplestiltskin very happy, it also seemed to please the Black Bones, and they listened with the same devotion as Rumplestiltskin did.  
At the beginning of the third day, however, she noticed that the ship was getting a little slower, and she noticed how tired Rumplestiltskin looked.  
“Rumple,” she said as she approached him that morning. “Am I mistaken or are we going a bit slower?”  
“A bit…” he admitted.  
“How come? What’s wrong?”  
He admitted simply: “It’s tiring to stay happy for so long.”  
“You’re really exhausted, aren’t you?” she asked him. “I always feel tired too, when I spin for too long. Is it like that?”  
“A bit,” he admitted. “But spinning is nothing compared to this kind of magic. I have to make sure that the fairy dust spreads nicely and evenly over all the sails, and then I also need to summon these winds.”  
“And you also whisk me things to eat. You know, you don’t have to. I could also go below deck and get something to eat myself. Some apples or bread… It can’t be that difficult.”  
That proposal caused the ship to drop a few meters in height, and Belle held onto one of the ropes over her head in order not to fall.  
“Don’t,” he said strictly, glaring at her angrily. “Don’t push your boundaries. Not now. You know it’s forbidden to go below deck. Don’t try now.”  
She sighed, feeling a little sad that he did not trust her.  
“I just wanted to help,” she said softly, and as both their thoughts turned a little sadder, filling up with regret, the ship slowly lost its altitude.  
Noticing this, Rumplestiltskin took a deep breath and tried to find happy thoughts.  
“Happy thoughts, Belle,” he reminded her, and she realized that her questions had done nothing to improve his mood.  
“I know!” she suddenly said, trying to sound a bit more cheerful. “I’ll sing you a song!”  
Rumplestiltskin suddenly chuckled. “And that’s supposed to cheer me up?” he asked teasingly, and Belle gasped in pretend-shock.  
“Are you saying you dislike my singing?”  
“Last time you sang in my presence, you were delusional.”  
“Ah…” Belle pretended to be nostalgic. “Such a mad and wonderful time.”  
Their bickering was causing the ship to gain altitude once more, and so they did not stop as the ship went faster and faster again.  
“You do have a wonderful voice though,” he complimented her. “I was just joking.”  
She blushed, glad to hear such praise from him.  
“It would make me incredibly happy if you would decide to sing to me.”  
With a big smile on her face, she indulged him, and it didn’t take long for the ship to travel as fast as it had the previous days.

 

  
  
_“As the ship crossed ocean after ocean, they found a new activity to engage in. They kept on reading and practicing magic and sword fighting, but during the afternoons, they would often sit on the warm deck, fishing. Wonderland held many ridiculously colorful fish, and they made it a game to fish for the funniest looking-one. Comparing their catches usually ended with them bickering about which fish was the most amazing one, but it was something they both enjoyed doing - even when Belle always seemed to end up with the winning fish.”_

art by [qtarts](http://qtarts.tumblr.com/)

 


	26. The Kill

By the evening of the third day, they had finally crossed the Boiling Sea. As Rumplestiltskin brought down the fairy from the mast of the ship, the vessel slowly lowered itself until it landed in the cooler waters with a splash.   
Belle was incredibly relieved that they would finally be able to let the fairy go, and followed Rumplestiltskin as he walked across the deck with the lantern in his hand.   
“Can I release her?” she asked kindly. “I’ve been spinning gold to repay her for her efforts.”  
Rumplestiltskin shot her an odd expression, his skin still scaly, even if it seemed like he was not using any magic for the moment.   
“You can’t be serious about repaying a fairy.”  
“Well… She helped us. And we repaid Jefferson too, didn’t we?”  
Rumplestiltskin was still frowning. “Jefferson is a friend – fairies, _dearie_ , are not.”  
She didn’t like how he was calling her ‘dearie’ now. Something about the way he said the word betrayed his impatience and stubbornness. It created a wall between them that was otherwise not there. He was not intending to listen to her.   
“What is it that you’ve got against fairies anyway?” Belle demanded to know.   
“I’ve told you before… They’re liars. And the only reason why you think they’re so good, is because they are always on the good side in those books you read. Trust me – they are capable of evil as much as any other man or woman.”  
She wasn’t happy that Rumplestiltskin thought the fairy did not deserve a reward, but she was not about to start a discussion with him over that.   
“Fine,” she gave in. “No reward. Let’s just let this go and release her.”  
Rumplestiltskin started laughing. “Release her?” he repeated. “I never said I’d release her!”  
Belle could not believe what she was hearing and looked at him with an incredulous gaze.   
“You promised you wouldn’t hurt her!”  
“Who said I was going to hurt her?”  
“What do you mean? Are you going to keep her locked up in here?”  
Speaking with nothing but determination, he replied: “Oh no, dearie, I’m going to _kill_ her.”  
“What?!” Belle was about to lose her patience with him. “No! Rumple!” She looked at him with both anger and hope in her eyes. “Don’t do that. You’re so much better than that!”  
“No,” he disagreed, looking away from her. “I’m not. You just think I am. But I cannot pretend like fairies have never crossed me.”  
“Are you saying this because of what the Blue Fairy did – when she gave me your name?”  
“No,” he replied in-between clenched teeth. “What they have done is _far_ worse.”  
Belle gulped as she looked at the lantern, the fairy inside already looking incredibly weak from losing so much fairy dust, and probably from malnourishment as well. They hadn’t treated the poor thing properly, and now it was unable to defend itself because of it.   
“Please,” she begged him, grabbing his hand desperately. “Don’t do this, Rumple. Show me the good man you are.”  
He laughed cruelly. “Killing a fairy won’t make me bad,” he replied. “I already am. If anything, it would redeem me.”  
“No!” she cried out, disagreeing with him. “Don’t kill her. There has to be another way!”  
“She cannot be trusted!” Rumplestiltskin insisted. “If I let her go now, she’ll tell everyone about us, about you, and we would have an army of fairies on our tails! They would make those vampires we encountered look as harmless as butterflies. Trust me on that.”  
Belle found that hard to believe, and pulled his hand again, hoping he would keep his attention on her – and not on the fairy – for as long as was necessary to talk him out of this.  
“Please, Rumplestiltskin… Make a deal with me! Anything – I’ll do _anything_ – just don’t kill her.” She wrapped both of her hands around his and brought it closer to her mouth, placing a soft kiss on his scaly skin. “Please,” she asked softly, tears in her eyes, and Rumplestiltskin looked at her with a sense of horror.  
The girl would give him anything – _her virtue, even, he thought to himself_ – to save a fairy’s life. The only thought more horrifying than letting the fairy live, was the thought that Belle would sacrifice her life or any of her virtues for the creature.   
“You, and everything you are willing to offer, is worth more than this fairy’s life, princess,” he said in a tone that was a bit softer. “I have promised not to hurt her, and so I will make it painless. If you do not wish to watch, you can go inside.”  
“There _has_ to be another way,” she insisted with tears in her eyes. “Please, Rumplestiltskin, this is not how I know you.”  
“But it is how I _am_ ,” he said in a tone that was sadder than before. “I’m sorry, princess…”  
He turned away from her and focused his attention on the fairy, but Belle immediately stepped in front of him, putting her hands on his shoulders to keep his attention on her instead. She would continue to do so for as long as she could, as long as he didn’t shut her out. She could not give up on him, and she could not give up on the fairy either.   
“You can change…” She looked at him with pleading eyes. “You don’t have to be a murderer…”  
“I already am,” he replied harshly, but Belle shook her head.   
“No,” she replied. “Perhaps you were, but you can stop that. You can stop that _now_. You can be better.” She bit her lip for a brief moment, before she added hopefully: “You can be someone I can love.”  
As he looked into her eyes, he was reminded of Jefferson’s words. She had told her father that she loved him. But did she really? Or did she love an idea she had of him – the idea that he could be a hero, like the ones from her stories?  
“You can’t change me, princess,” he said gently, hoping he was letting her down softly.   
“I know,” she agreed, smiling sadly. “But you can change yourself, Rumplestiltskin. It’s your choice. I know that I can’t force you. But please, reconsider what you are about to do… There has to be another way.”  
He frowned and sniffed, trying to think of something. “I could pull out her tongue, so she could not tell anyone, but that would hurt her and you’re not fond of that idea either. Not to mention that even mutes can draw a picture.”  
Glad that he had not immediately dismissed her proposal, she started thinking herself. “We could bribe her with the gold!”  
“Fairies don’t need gold,” Rumplestiltskin replied. “They have plenty of magic for that, and fairy dust is more valuable than gold.”  
“Then…” Suddenly remembering something from her book, she looked up hopefully. “I read about a spell that could erase people’s memories! Why not make her forget the past few days – that way she won’t know it was us, and we’ll both be safe!”  
Rumplestiltskin looked a little upset. She was right – but he wasn’t happy about letting the fairy go.   
Seeing how difficult it was for him, she put her hand on his cheek, and she offered him a smile. “Please, Rumplestiltskin. It would make me happy if you could do this for me.”  
She saw the internal conflict, but kept on looking at him with all the hope she felt, and when he lowered his head, she knew his decision and she embraced him tightly.   
“Thank you so much,” she whispered, and he felt like he wanted to hug her tighter, but he knew he had something else to focus on.   
“I’ll put her to sleep first,” he said harshly as he looked at the fairy, who had been too tired to speak up. With a wave of his hand, the creature closed her eyes, and with another wave, red smoke engulfed the fairy, and Belle watched as the smoke evaporated into nothing, leaving the fairy with a smile on her face.   
“Those were her memories of the past week,” Rumplestiltskin explained. “I’ll get her off the ship now.”  
“Take me with you,” Belle insisted.   
“You don’t trust me?” he asked, turning to her, and as she averted her eyes, he knew that she didn’t – at least not with this. “I probably wouldn’t trust myself either,” he added with a sigh, and he took her hand. “Hold your breath.”  
They appeared on a small, sandy island, with exotic trees and brightly colored birds everywhere. Belle would have described it as romantic, if she had not been so focused on keeping the fairy safe from the man she loved – who also happened to be feeling a bit more bloodlust than on other days this day.  
“This is a good spot, don’t you agree?” he asked, and as Belle looked around and saw all the beauty of nature, she nodded. “Perfect.”  
Rumplestiltskin walked over to one of the trees, and opened the lantern to take the fairy out. He put her on a low-hanging branch, and as Belle saw the creature stir, she felt relieved that Rumplestiltskin had not killed her.   
“We must return,” Rumplestiltskin said softly. “We must leave before she awakens.”  
Belle nodded, glad that Rumplestiltskin had changed his mind about all of this, and before he had a chance to whisk them away, she kissed his cheek.   
“Thank you, Rumple. I’m very proud of you.”  
Rumplestiltskin looked away a little awkwardly and his gaze shot to the sky, and as he saw several large birds circle around, he knew that it was time for them to leave.  
As he grabbed Belle’s hands and whisked them both away, the birds descended to execute the kill.


	27. Tale of the Past

Rumplestiltskin felt exhausted. He’d been awake for over three days, and to be honest: he wanted Belle to shut up, but she kept on gloating because he had let the fairy go.   
“Doesn’t it feel good?” she asked him as she followed him inside the cabin. “You could have killed that fairy, yet you let her live because of the goodness in your heart.”  
She was beaming as she looked at him, and she did not understand why he looked so miserable regardless.   
“Belle, just let it go,” he said, feeling tired. “I’m not happy about it, nor will I ever be. There’s so much you don’t understand.”  
She sighed as she watched him change into his nightgown with the wave of a hand, and as he crawled into the bed, she quickly hurried behind the folding screen to put on her own nightgown as well.  
Noticing this, Rumplestiltskin frowned. “Isn’t it a bit early for you to come to bed? You don’t have to join me, you know. I’m tired, but you shouldn’t be.”  
“I am though,” she replied, pulling the nightgown over her head. “I slept badly without you. Guess I’ve gotten used to your presence.”  
He shook his head, unable to believe those words. As she hurried over to the bed and took off her shoes, she smiled warmly at him, and it only made him feel more miserable. Noticing his gaze, Belle didn’t immediately crawl over him to lie down on her side of the bed, but she sat down next to him, stroking his hair.   
“Rumple…” she said gently. “I’m so proud of you. Tell me why you feel so miserable.”  
He looked at her, but kept his mouth shut. If she knew that they had left that fairy on an island with various birds that were eager to eat the little creature for lunch, she would no longer be so happy either. But why was he feeling so sad then? Because he had left the creature to die? Or because he was lying to Belle?  
It was Belle. It was even becoming difficult to look at her, and he cast his gaze away.   
“Rumple,” she said compassionately as she noticed his gaze dart away from her, and she sighed. “You told me you murdered people,” she said softly. “Tell me about that.”  
“Now is not the time,” he replied, sounding fatigued.   
“I disagree,” she argued with him. “Right now you’re tired, but that’s also when you’re most honest. I want to hear it now.”  
He moaned and closed his eyes, hating the idea that he would have to talk about his past right now. Yes - he could just whisk away to avoid her, but he knew he couldn’t do that forever and so he just lay there, trying to ignore her.  
Feeling determined, Belle suddenly moved to sit on top of him, and when he looked at her with nothing but shock in his eyes, she chuckled. “No worries, I don’t have that sickness again.” She let her hands rest on his stomach as she looked at him. “Tell me. I’m all ears.”  
“You really want to hear about the people I killed?” he wondered, completely dumbstruck. He had no idea why she would care about that.   
“Not just that,” she replied softly. “I want to know _everything_ about you, Rumple. Good _and_ bad.”  
He was sweating now – not just because she was sitting on him, but because her gaze was so honest and sweet that it made him nervous.   
“You won’t like it,” he said quietly. “I’m not a hero.”  
“Who says I’m only interested in hearing stories about heroes?” she replied, bending closer to him to stroke his cheek. “I like you, Rumple. I want to know why.”  
His heart pounded even louder, and he could feel himself grasp the sheet in order not to panic.   
“It’s not so simple… It’s dangerous for you to know. I have many enemies who would love to hear all about me. If they knew that you knew, you’d be in danger…”  
Belle shrugged. “But you can protect me, can’t you?”  
“I can try to,” he agreed. “But it’s better you don’t know everything about me.”  
She sighed. “Well. Don’t tell me _everything_ then. Just… just tell me how you became the Dark One.”  
“That’s a pretty revealing story.”  
“But why can’t you tell me?” she wondered, and as he kept quiet, she sighed again. “Tell you what. If you tell me, I’ll give you a kiss.”  
He looked up in alarm and saw how she was looking extra flirty. Was she always this beautiful when she glanced at him? He honestly could not recall, but he felt the butterflies in his stomach none the less.   
“That would not be fair on you,” he replied softly. “Once I told you, the chances you’d want to kiss me would be slim. And then you’d still have to kiss me. I don’t want to put you through that. You don’t have to kiss a monster, Belle.”   
“You’re not a monster,” she said softly, and he chuckled darkly.   
“Look at me, Belle. Scales, dark nails and have you taken a look at my teeth? I’m not someone a princess should be kissing.”  
“Tell me how you got this way,” she insisted, hoping he would stop dodging her questions. She did not want to hear him remind her how she was out of his league because she was of noble blood and he was the Dark One. She wanted him to open up to her.  
As he remained so quiet, she lowered her face to meet his, and closed her eyes in those last seconds before the kiss. But as he saw her coming, he suddenly grabbed her wrists and flipped her over, and as she was pinned to the bed, she looked up at him in surprise – and a bit of fear as well.   
“You foolish girl!” he hissed. “Aren’t you listening to my words at all? I’m trying to warn you!”  
She gulped and didn’t know what to say. He was holding her wrists so roughly that he was hurting her, but he hardly seemed aware of that himself.   
“I… I….” She didn’t know how to reply, and he had seldom looked so irritated or upset.   
“You want to hear about my past? About the people I killed? Well, I’ll indulge you,” he said with a cruel undertone in his voice. It was time to shut her up once and for all – to have her realize that he was not a hero – not deserving of her love – even if he craved her affection too. These games simply had to stop. They could only end in pain – for the both of them. “Would you like to know about the last woman I slept with, princess?”  
Belle merely gulped, noticing the madness in his eyes, at least for this moment, and she wasn’t sure if it was Rumplestiltskin or the Dark One who was telling her this story.  
“She was my wife!” he cried out in a shrill voice. “She met me when I was still human – not the Dark One – not a murderer. And because I refused to fight in the war, she called me a _coward_.” He spat out that last word as though it was the most horrible word he knew. “She’d spend her days in the tavern instead, drinking rum with pirates, instead of being with me. She _loathed_ me. She was ashamed of me, and eventually she made me believe that pirates had taken her away, kidnapped her against her will, while it had been _her_ plan all along. She lied to me, in order to get away from me.” Rumplestiltskin was furious as he retold it all, and he had no idea how much he was hurting Belle’s wrists. “She didn’t just keep the truth from me, Belle, but from my son as well. Our beautiful baby boy.” His eyes glazed over for a moment, but he continued talking, sounding a little out of breath in his rage. “He wasn’t even six when she left! I couldn’t tell him that his mother had been kidnapped by pirates, so I told him she was dead. When I saw her again, ten years later, I found out the truth. She had eloped with another man – a pirate – and had left me and her own child behind. So I ripped out her heart, like she had ripped out mine – and I crushed it in front of the eyes of the pirate that had stolen her from me. I _killed_ her, Belle. I killed a woman I shared my bed with, a woman I married, a woman I once loved, and now you think you can make it all better with a _kiss_?”  
As he had told her the story and nearly spat out all those words, tears had come to Belle’s eyes, and as he lowered his face to hers, she suddenly whimpered: “Please, Rumple, you’re hurting me…”  
Recognizing her pain, a bit of his hazy gaze disappeared, and he took a shallow breath before he suddenly let go of her hands, inwardly cursing himself for not having a better grip on himself, but he did not get off her. “Is that the tale you wanted to hear, princess?” he hissed cruelly, and she merely looked at him with a pained expression in her eyes.   
“No,” she replied softly. “But it’s what I _have_ to hear,” she insisted softly, and as he looked at her with both hardness and surprise in his eyes, she brought her hand up to his cheek, and in the instant she touched his skin, he flinched, yet she saw some of the hardness break away as well. “How long ago was that?” she wondered softly.   
“About a hundred and twenty years ago,” he replied roughly. “Could be a few years longer. I’m not sure.”  
She took a deep breath, glad that he was starting to calm down, and she softly pushed against his shoulder so he went to lie on his side. Rolling to her side as well, she kept her hand against his cheek as she looked at him.   
“Are you afraid that you’ll kill me as well?”  
As he looked her in her eyes, he didn’t see fear, only understanding – and he could not comprehend how she could be so sweet to him after what he had just told her – especially after _how_ he had told her. Was she stupid? Or was there a rare wisdom there he simply did not understand?  
“Aren’t you afraid of me?” he asked her, confused that she was still touching him – still listening – still wanting to understand. As she did not reply, he continued: “You’re a better woman than my former wife ever was… You are compassionate and kind and responsible, and I can’t see you walking away from any child, whether it’s your own or not. She ran off with a pirate – _a pirate_ – instead of staying with her own child.”  
“You seem more upset about her leaving your son than you are about her leaving you,” Belle remarked quietly, carefully. It was the first time he was opening up to her about who he had been before he had become the Dark One – the first time she heard of a wife – and of a child. As she realized that it had all happened a hundred and twenty years ago, she felt even worse for him.   
“What happened to your child?” she asked, wondering if that boy had ever gotten married, and had children of his own – and perhaps a family that Rumplestiltskin could call his as well.   
For a moment, Rumplestiltskin considered telling her how they were looking for Baelfire, but feeling too tired to open up completely, he just sighed and replied: “I lost him.”  
Those words seemed to hurt her as much as they hurt Rumplestiltskin, and quietly, she asked: “When?”  
“A few years before I killed his mother,” he admitted honestly, looking at her hair with a vacant expression instead of looking into her tear-filled eyes.   
Her wrists still hurt, and as she rubbed them, Rumplestiltskin suddenly noticed as well. As he saw her tears, he suddenly realized just how cruel he had been to her, and his heart broke.   
“Belle,” he said softly, his voice breaking as he reached for her wrists, and he noticed with pain in his heart how she startled a little from the idea that he would touch her there again. “I’m sorry…”  
His voice sounded rather blank and he ran his healing hands over her wrists with regret in his eyes.   
“My past is ugly, Belle,” he told her. “I wish I could tell you a happy tale, but I can’t.”  
“It can’t all have been so bad,” she whispered. “What about your parents?”  
“My mother died when I was born, and my father abandoned me when I was seven,” he replied flatly, withdrawing his hands from her wrists again, and he sighed.  
Gulping, Belle shook her head. “I’m so sorry to hear that, Rumple.”   
He shook his head. “Don’t be.”  
They kept quiet for a few moments, until Belle spoke again: “You asked me – a while back – if I was happy here with you…”  
“I remember.”  
“Now I have to ask you the same thing.” She looked at him with hope in her eyes. “Are you happy here with me?”  
His gaze softened because of her question, and he slowly nodded. “I am, Belle. For the first time since I lost my son, you make me feel…” He wasn’t even certain what it was that she made him feel, but she replied for him: “Loved?”  
He hesitated, but nodded. “Yes. I don’t see how you can, though. Especially now that I told you about how I killed my wife.”  
“I’m not her,” Belle replied with a determined look in her eyes. “And whether you believe it or not, you’re not the same man that you were back then. You’ve been hurt by what happened, and it has changed you. And you are still changing – always changing. I don’t think you’re the same man you were a hundred and twenty years ago.”  
“I don’t think I was much of a man back then,” he added honestly.  
She stroked his hair and as he saw her smile, he returned it.   
“Let’s just try and remain happy,” she said softly. “If you can resist killing people – including fairies – then I will be very happy here with you.”  
He nodded quietly, once more in awe because of all that she was. How could she be so kind and forgiving, even to a monster like him?  
“My son would have liked your influence on me,” he admitted softly. “He was there, when I turned into the Dark One. He hated it.”   
As Rumplestiltskin grew quiet, Belle snuggled closer to him, and he wrapped his arms around her.   
“It must have been scary for him,” Belle admitted. “To see his father change like that.”  
“I did it for him,” Rumplestiltskin added. “I did it to keep him safe – to keep him alive – to save him from going to the Ogre Wars. I rescued him, and all the children of the Frontlands.”  
Belle wasn’t certain what she heard in his voice. Despair? Nostalgia? Or maybe a mix of both? There was regret in his voice too, but why precisely?   
Afraid that she was bringing him down by letting him talk of his past like this, she started rubbing his arm, hoping it soothed him, and he suddenly looked down at her, surprised by how she was still listening and supporting him.   
Noticing his gaze, she blushed a little. “If you saved so many people, then perhaps you are more of a hero than you care to admit.”  
He smiled sadly. “I’m not. I did not get a hero’s welcome… People were afraid of me. I had the power to single-handedly wipe out an army of ogres – and they knew that if they crossed me, I would not let it stand. Afraid to get on my bad side, they did not dare to get on my good side either. I was friendless. And worse, so was my son. None of the other children dared to play with him.”  
Her heart broke as she heard that, and she shook her head.   
“I’m so sorry, Rumplestiltskin. I wish I could have been there, to make both your lives better.”  
“I’m certain you would have,” he replied gently. “Even though it keeps on surprising me how you – a princess – can be so brave and kind at the same time. You are truly the most amazing person I have ever met – and I have lived for over one and a half century.”  
She blushed because of that compliment, and hugged him close. When she felt him return that hug, she closed her eyes, deciding that she had put him through enough emotional turmoil by asking him about his past.   
“Not quite the bedtime story you were hoping for, was it?” he asked softly, and she chuckled.   
“Maybe not,” she replied. “But it was one I needed to hear.”


	28. Time for Truth

As their final days in Wonderland came to an end, Rumplestiltskin made a few more visits to Jefferson, trading trinkets and sharing stories. He did not take Belle along, not only because she had gotten sick the last time, but also because Jefferson had read her letter, and Rumplestiltskin was terrified the Hatter would confront her about what she had written about her captor.  
“I take it from the way you are dodging my questions about Belle, that you have not kissed the princess yet,” Jefferson remarked as he was sewing some feathers onto a hat.  
Rumplestiltskin let out an annoyed sigh. “If you must know, then no, we haven’t kissed.”  
“What’s holding you back?”  
Annoyed by his question, Rumplestiltskin frowned. “Why are you still making hats? Surely three pots of gold would be enough for you to retire.”  
“I _like_ making hats,” Jefferson replied, sounding offended. “But what is holding you back when it comes to getting closer to Belle?”  
“I am! I am holding us back,” Rumplestiltskin snapped, taking a deep breath before he continued desperately: “Don’t you understand? I’m not particularly husband-material.”   
Jefferson looked at Rumplestiltskin from head to toe, his expression showing that he did not understand what his friend was so worried about and he shook his head.   
“Nonsense. I think you are,” he replied quietly, focusing on the hat again. “You are loyal, loving and you’ve got plenty of power to provide for her. Besides, she seems attracted to you, so I really can’t see what you’re waiting for.”  
Rumplestiltskin moaned. “Must we talk about this now? This is the last time we’ll see each other in a while, and I was hoping you had more stories to share about other worlds. Besides, hearing you analyze my very being kind of creeps me out. No offense.”  
Raising an eyebrow, the hatter shook his head, ignoring that last remark. “We _must_ talk about this now,” Jefferson said firmly. “You are in love with her. She is in love with you. And you’re both not moving forward. Why not?”  
The response to that question came much quicker than it should have. “We haven’t known each other for so long,” Rumplestiltskin said. “Three months now.”  
“What are you waiting for? I’ve slept with women I only knew for three hours – and there were some that hardly needed more than three minutes to kiss me.”  
“Yes, but you live here on your own. Where are those women you slept with now?”  
“Where I left them. Waiting for the night I will return to them,” he replied with an oafish grin, and he wiggled his eyebrows.  
“I bet you get a lot of slaps when you return to them,” Rumplestiltskin remarked bitterly, and Jefferson laughed.   
“True that, I suppose. But what I’m saying is… Why wait? It looks to me like you’re only postponing the inevitable. Tick tock… Time’s ticking away.”  
“Am I really postponing it?” Rumplestiltskin questioned his friend. “Belle and I have all the time in the world. Perhaps we’re just waiting for the perfect moment. We’re still getting to know one another.”  
“Or perhaps you’re just scared,” Jefferson muttered knowingly, and he shot his friend a dark gaze.   
Sighing, and realizing he was not going to be able to stop Jefferson’s questions about Belle, Rumplestiltskin got up from his chair.   
“Jefferson, it’s been a pleasure as always.” He took an elegant bow, extending his arms graciously, and Jefferson got up from his chair to give Rumplestiltskin a hug.   
“Take care, old friend,” the Hatter mumbled softly.   
“You too.”  
“And don’t be afraid when it comes to Belle. You too deserve love, Dark One or not. It’s yours for the taking, if only you’d dare to grab it.”  
Letting go of Jefferson, Rumplestiltskin offered his friend a half-smile.   
“I’ll remember that. Goodbye, old friend.”  
Jefferson tipped his hat, and smiled when Rumplestiltskin disappeared, leaving nothing but a cloud of purple smoke where he had been.

 

When he returned to the ship, Belle was already wearing her nightgown, brushing her hair as she sat on the bed.   
“Naptime, right?” she said happily, and Rumplestiltskin smiled, feeling fortunate how she had adjusted so well to this life on his ship. He had not even needed to say anything, and she already knew that it was best to sleep a bit before evening came.    
“Eager to cross over tonight, sweetheart?”  
She nodded in reply as he joined her on the bed, and he took the brush from her hand to continue her combing. He loved feeling her hair in-between his fingers, and she seemed to love letting him so near her.  
As he finished combing her hair, she lay down on the bed, looking up at him expectantly, and he noticed her gaze. He changed into his black nightgown, and did not change his appearance back to his human one as he moved to lie beside her.   
“This was an interesting world,” Belle remarked quietly.   
“Yes,” Rumplestiltskin agreed. “Just a shame that I could not take you anywhere.”  
“Well… I met Jefferson,” she replied. “And I saw that island when we saved the fairy.”  
Rumplestiltskin kept very quiet about her choice of words, and just chuckled.   
“That’s not much though. I hope you are not growing bored of the ship, princess?”  
“No, don’t fear that. I kept busy. Reading, practicing magic, sword-fighting… There’s plenty to do here. Besides, I’m sort of used to being cooped up.”  
“I still hope that the next world will allow for more excursions.”  
“As do I, Rumple…” Her smile was bright as she looked at him, and he moved closer to press a kiss to her forehead. He could hear her soft, hopeful sigh as his lips touched her skin, and when he looked down on her, he saw her happy glow.  
“Rumple?”  
“Hm?”  
“Remember when I was sick, and you helped me relieve myself?”  
He felt a little awkward remembering that, but nodded.   
“And when I helped relieve you a few days after?”  
_How could he ever forget that incredible moment?_ He nodded once more.   
“Do you think we were moving a little too fast?” she asked, sounding a little insecure. “I mean… that wasn’t really normal, was it?”  
“No, I guess not,” he replied with a small chuckle. “It was an odd development.”  
“I don’t regret it though,” she said hastily, a blush on her face as she admitted to that, and he smiled.   
“I can’t really say that I regretted it either.”  
Belle looked happy because of that shy confession too, and suddenly proposed with a bold expression on her face: “Do you think we could do that again sometime in the next world?” Noticing Rumplestiltskin’s shocked expression, she hastily added: “It was fun…”  
He opened his mouth to reply, but felt like all words failed him for a few moments.   
Her cheeks grew redder with each moment she had to wait for his reply, and she suddenly said: “Never mind, that was an indecent thing of me to ask… I’m sorry.” She shook her head, avoiding his gaze. “I guess I’m starting to feel a little too… _liberated_ here.” She chuckled apologetically, and as her gaze crossed his, they both smiled.   
“You mean to say that you don’t feel so bound to society’s rules here?”  
She nodded in agreement with his words, and added: “It’s like we’re pirates,” she said. “But we don’t kill and pillage and plunder. So perhaps we’re not _that_ much like pirates, but… I guess… It’s making me a little selfish… in some ways...”  
“Thinking about your own pleasure, you mean?”  
“Yes,” she agreed. “Without caring about what anyone would think about it. I mean… that’s pretty selfish, isn’t it?”  
“I’m not certain,” he murmured as he looked at her beside him. Her beauty always took his breath away, and he felt a little lightheaded just from looking at her.   
“I do try to think of you too though,” she added. “I mean… That’s not completely selfish then. I’m not just asking you to give me pleasure, I’m offering to give you some in return.”  
“I’m not sure I can do that, princess,” he admitted with an honest smile. “Though you are very beautiful, and I wish to see you happy, I am also quite old-fashioned when it comes to these things. I come from another century.”  
She laughed softly at his little quip, and looked at him with a patient and understanding gaze in her eyes.   
“No making love before marriage, that sort of thing?” she wondered playfully, and he chuckled.   
“Yeah, something like that.”  
“But sleeping together is not too progressive for you?” she teased him, and his gaze turned more serious as he thought about that. Picking up on that, she continued: “Why are we sharing a bed? I thought – in the beginning – that you had some sexual motive for making me sleep with you…”  
“I told you that I never intended to take your virtue in that way,” he assured her gently.   
“I know. I just didn’t believe you, until now. But why is it that it’s so important that I share your bed? This isn’t the first time I’ve asked, you know that too, but it just… it confuses me. It… It’s pretty intimate. To sleep with a stranger like this.”  
“We’re not strangers anymore.”  
“I know, and I want to keep on sleeping like this now. I don’t mind it. It’s just something that I have been wondering since the first night. Why did you want me to share your bed? It was an odd request.”  
Looking into her wondering eyes, he let out a soft breath, and he stroked her cheek as he remembered the shock he had felt when he had seen her on that ship, calling out that someone should save him from the water.   
“There was a prophecy I once saw…” He gulped as he admitted this, and Belle hardly dared to breathe as she realized how strange it was of him to finally let her in on his secrets. “It foretold three events. Three things I would need. My ship, my crew, and you.”  
She remembered his words, how he had told her he’d seen her in a dream. Perhaps he hadn’t been lying after all. But still, it did not make sense.   
“What do you need us for, Rumple?” she asked softly. “And why… why is it that I need to sleep by your side?”  
“It’s what the prophecy said. It said you would share my bed.”  
Belle frowned. “So that’s why, when we first met, you just asked me to share your bed?”  
“Yes.”  
“Didn’t you ever consider that perhaps the prophecy meant to say that – in time – I would share your bed – sexually – and not just literally?”  
Rumplestiltskin looked a little awkward as she said that, and he licked his lips nervously. “I didn’t really think you’d share my bed in that way. Ever. And eh… I saw you too – in those visions. I saw you in my arms. Clothed. Not naked, so eh… I figured that it was good enough to have you sleep with me.”  
“Well…” Belle frowned. “I’ve been sleeping with you for three months now. The thing the prophecy foretold… did it happen?”  
He shook his head sadly. “Not yet.”  
Whatever it was he was looking for, Belle figured that it was very important to him – because she could not imagine why else he had so much trouble opening up about it. He was very secretive, and it was difficult to get to know him. He kept his thoughts hidden pretty well, and she was unable to figure him out.   
“Then we shall sleep once more,” she said encouragingly, taking his hand and squeezing it. “If we ought to sleep together – fully clothed – then that is what we will do.”  
They both smiled a little sadly as they looked at each other, and Belle rolled over so he could hold her close. Only seconds after she was lying on her side, she felt him wrap his arm around her.   
“And this is also something you saw in the prophecy? Us together like this?” she wondered quietly.   
“Yes,” he whispered in her ear. “Exactly like this.”  
“Then perhaps you’re almost where you need to be.”  
He held her tightly, realizing that he’d never find someone as wise and kind as Belle ever again in his lifetime. Unable to stop himself, he placed a soft kiss on her cheek, and she smiled as he whispered: “Let us hope so.”


	29. A New World

The crossing over was as exhilarating to Belle as it had been the previous times. They tried to catch a blue light this time, and when they finally did and the moonlight disappeared from all around them, revealing their first glimpse of this world, they looked around them in awe.   
The sky wasn’t like anything Belle had ever seen, and lights in all colors whirled through the black night, drawing the attention away from the beautiful stars behind it. As they landed on deck, Rumplestiltskin still carried the princess in his arms and as they looked around, she gasped softly.   
“This is beautiful,” she remarked quietly, looking at the northern lights all around them. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”  
“I have,” he replied quietly, thinking. “But not like this. Never like this.”  
His strange, reptilian eyes wandered to the horizon, where he saw a land he did not recognize. His heart filled with hope all of a sudden, and he put Belle on the deck next to him before he rushed into his study.  
Belle was still mesmerized by the northern lights, but as she saw him hurry off, she was too curious to stay behind, and when she entered his study, she saw him by the globe, watching it with a manic smile on his face.  
“What is it, Rumple?” she asked softly. “You look so happy?”  
He grinned and suddenly lifted her in the air, whirling her around. She could not help but cry out in amusement.   
“It’s a new world, Belle!” he said excitedly, and she giggled as he put her down again and kissed her cheek.   
“Why does that make you so happy?” she wondered curiously. “You don’t like the other worlds a lot? Or do you want to move here?”  
“I’m looking for a world without magic, Belle,” he told her. “Perhaps this is the one.”  
“How can you know for certain?” she wondered. “And those skies… They’re pretty… They look magical to me.”   
“I’ve been to worlds where those northern lights were strictly scientific. Not everything pretty is made by magic.”  
“But if the world is not magical, then how can you do magic?” she wondered. “Because just now, we floated down to the deck. And the Black Bones are still up and about. They’re pretty magical.”  
“It’s this ship,” he explained. “It’s magical, and as long as we are on it, so are we.” Snapping his fingers, he came up with an idea. “Follow me! We’ll go and check how magical this place is.”  
He rushed outside, where he used magic to lower a sloop into the dark waters below. Then he took Belle in his arms before he climbed down the ladder, carrying her with just one arm while she tightly held onto him.  
As they landed in the sloop, Rumplestiltskin took a pair of paddles to put as much distance between them and the ship as he could. Belle held her breath as they rowed away, and watched him intently, expecting him to change into his human appearance any second, but nothing happened.   
The only change she saw, was in his mood, and where he looked optimistic at first, he looked disappointed a few minutes later, while the ship became smaller with each stroke of the paddles.   
“It’s not the right world?” she asked carefully, and he shook his head.   
“No… This one’s magical.”  
“Are you certain?”  
He opened his hand and made a small ball of fire appear, his face looking older in the light of the flames, especially now that he looked so down.  
Closing his hand again, the light disappeared, and he sighed miserably.   
Feeling sorry for him, Belle reached for his hand.   
“I’m so sorry, Rumple,” she said softly. “We’ll find that world without magic. Maybe next month?”  
“You don’t understand,” he replied miserably. “It’s very unlikely that the next world we go to, will be one I haven’t seen before. I’ve seen a hundred worlds in my lifetime, maybe more, and it becomes increasingly difficult to find new ones. I don’t have a say in it. It might be several more years before we find another new world.”  
Belle could imagine how that was depressing him. If he needed to go to this world without magic, then it had to be horrible to realize it would take him several more years, especially considering the fact that they had both been hopeful that their journey would end tonight– especially after their conversation earlier that day, and after Belle had slept by his side, exactly like he had seen in the prophecy.   
He let go of her hand and started rowing back to the ship, not looking at her, but instead looking blankly into the water, sadder than ever.  
Belle looked into the night sky, at the beautiful lights above them, and she regretted that Rumplestiltskin wasn’t looking along with her. Perhaps it would have been more enjoyable for her as well, if they would have been able to delight in this world’s beauty together.

 

Once they were in bed, Rumplestiltskin still looked sad, and Belle didn’t turn away from him as she stroked his cheek, trying to cheer him up.  
“They say patience is a virtue,” she said softly.   
“I’ve been incredibly patient,” he replied sadly. “I’ve been patient for over a hundred years. Why does fate mock me in this way? All I want is to find happiness again.”  
She’d never seen him bask in his misery in that way, and she moved closer to him, hugging him. When she felt him embracing her as tightly as she held onto him, she knew that he appreciated her attempts to comfort him, and she smiled sweetly.   
“Perhaps you won’t find the land without magic this month, but I’ll help you find happiness regardless of that. Whether this world holds magic or not, it does not matter! I will read to you, hug you, comfort you… Everything you need. All you need to do is ask, and I will make you happy.”  
“You’re too good to me, Belle. I keep on saying that, but it’s true. If you weren’t here, I would have smacked the glass out of my cabinets by now.”  
She leaned closer to give him a kiss on his forehead, and he closed his eyes. She rested his forehead against his and let out a sigh. “Let’s sleep,” she suggested. “And perhaps this is not the world you were looking for, but who knows what new things we will learn here! Perhaps some other clues will reveal themselves on how to find this world without magic you’re looking for.”

 

They woke up rather late, and after they had gotten dressed and eaten some breakfast, they made their way on deck, to find a radiant sun above them as the ship sailed on – the shorelines in the distance green and flat – appearing to show them nothing but hills and meadows.  
Looking at Belle by his side, he noticed how she was wearing her yellow ball gown again, and he asked her: “Isn’t it a bit impractical to wear that dress, princess?”  
She shrugged. “A little, I guess. Were you planning on giving me sword-fighting lessons, perhaps?”  
“No, not really. I think I should go and explore this world – see where there are towns and such.” Still looking at her dress, he remarked: “The green and pink gown you have are too warm for here, perhaps?”  
“Yes, I’m afraid so. It feels like summer, and those dresses are for colder climates than this one.”  
Scratching his chin, he thought of the blue and white fabric he had below-deck, and with a soft smile, he suddenly summoned a blue dress, offering it to her with a twinkle in his eyes.  
She gasped as she took the dress from him, finding it absolutely beautiful, and the next moment he also summoned her some light-blue shoes for underneath.   
She kissed his cheek in gratitude, and held the dress in front of her. “I will go and put it on right away!” she said excitedly. “And eh… Can I come with you, to explore this world?”   
“Yes, in a few hours,” he promised her, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. “I will be whisking from one place to the other in order to explore this world. It would make you incredibly dizzy. Once I find a town, I will whisk back to take you with me. Agreed?”  
“Agreed!” she said eagerly, and she giggled from anticipation. “Good luck, Rumple!”  
“See you later, Belle.”

 

Belle walked around deck in her blue dress, whirling the skirt around a bit as she dreamed of exploring this new world with Rumplestiltskin. She could not wait to meet the people there, or to visit their libraries and book shops. The land in the distance looked beautiful – so green and fertile – that she imagined the people that lived there to be prosperous as well.   
Rumplestiltskin seemed to be taking an awfully long time, and she sat down on one of the chests, waiting for him.  
She startled when one of the Black Bones sat next to her, and as she saw the sail and needle in his hands, and the shabby clothes that covered his bones, she recognized him from when he had touched her and shown her his face.   
“Hey,” she said softly.   
In response, he offered her the sail and the needle, and she took it from his bony fingers without hesitation.   
“That’s quite a rip,” she remarked. “I suppose I might as well fix it.”  
The skeleton touched her shoulder briefly before he got up again and moved to a higher deck.  
Smiling to herself, Belle started patching up the sail, her thoughts running free as she did so. She wondered what Rumplestiltskin needed a world without magic for. What was he looking for? What was the point of his quest? He had found his ship, his crew and now her. When would he find what he was looking for?   
Rumplestiltskin stayed away for more than just a few hours, and it was only an hour before nightfall when he made his way back to deck, his posture betraying to Belle that something was off.   
“What is it?” she wondered, hurrying over to him and putting her hand on his arm. “Is something wrong?”  
Her tone of worry did not go unnoticed, and he shot her a small, reassuring smile once he had transformed into his human shape once more.   
“I’ve been looking all day,” he told her. “But I could not find any houses or towns. Nothing – nowhere. No sign of human life at all.”  
“Oh.” That wasn’t the answer she had expected, and she bit her lip. “Is that a bad thing?”  
He shook his head. “Not necessarily. Just odd. I saw some animals though.”  
“Friendly animals?” Belle asked hopefully, and Rumplestiltskin chuckled softly.   
“Surprisingly friendly,” he replied teasingly, and she smiled warmly in response. “Domestic animals. Which made it even odder that I could not find any people anywhere. Cows, sheep, goats… But no humans.”  
“Strange,” Belle agreed, frowning as she thought about it.   
Taking her hand, he pulled her with him towards the cabin.   
“You must be starving,” he remarked. “Come, I’ll prepare you a nice dinner.”

 

After dinner, they made their way on deck again, the beautiful northern lights once more gracing the skies. As they sat down on a chest, Belle put her head against his shoulder, feeling very relaxed as she looked up at those lights. “They’re simply gorgeous,” she muttered quietly, and Rumplestiltskin hummed in agreement. “It’s not such a bad place to be… Is it, Rumple?”  
He smiled gently. “Not with you by my side,” he replied honestly.   
She turned her head to kiss his cheek, and his smile warmed her heart.   
“Good,” she replied with a smile. “Because I promised to make you happy here, and I will.”   
He chuckled. “You like a challenge, don’t you?”  
She nodded and admitted shyly: “Just not as much as I like you.”


	30. Killing Time

The next day, Rumplestiltskin whisked them both to a forest full of young apple trees. Summoning an empty barrel from the ship, they spent the morning gathering the fruit, and didn’t stop until the barrel was completely full.  
Belle sometimes stopped to watch the bunnies as they hopped through the fields, and she was surprised by how close they dared to come.   
“Can’t we take one with us to the ship?” she wondered softly, and Rumplestiltskin – who had been too focused on picking apples, didn’t completely get what she meant.   
“You want rabbit stew tonight?”  
“No!” she replied, appalled. “I want to pet one! They look so soft and cozy.”   
“Oh!” Rumplestiltskin chuckled, amused by his own mistake. “They’re tough to domesticate once they’re used to this freedom.”  
“I just want to hug one,” she admitted with a sigh, and Rumplestiltskin looked at her for a moment, before an idea came to his mind.  
He suddenly whisked right behind one of the rabbits, picked it up before it could jump away, and then ripped out its heart so it stopped struggling. With the glowing heart in one hand, and the rabbit in the other, he made his way over to Belle, who was looking at him in shock.   
“Here you go,” he said generously. “This one won’t jump away.”  
Belle’s heart seemed to beat painfully hard in her throat as she took the bunny in her trembling hands and she could not stop staring at the glowing heart that Rumplestiltskin was holding.   
“What on earth did you just do?” she asked, panting from anxiety. “Is that its heart?”  
“Oh. Eh, yes,” he replied, only now realizing how she was not familiar with this bit of magic. “If you take someone’s heart, you can control them, so I can now numb the feelings of the animal. That means that the creature isn’t terrified now, and it won’t really care about your petting, so you can pet it all you like without it biting you or anything of the sort.”  
Belle’s mouth dropped. “That’s no fun at all!” she replied sharply. “The fun in petting an animal, is in seeing it enjoy it. If this bunny doesn’t care about my petting, why would I?”  
Rumplestiltskin frowned. “I thought you wanted to feel its soft fur – that it would bring you comfort.”  
“No! I mean… yes! I mean… No, this isn’t the way!” She gave the rabbit back to Rumplestiltskin, crossing her arms and frowning as she looked at the poor creature. “Just give it back its heart, please.”  
Feeling disappointed and rather confused, Rumplestiltskin did as she told him, and with a hard kick of its hind legs, the rabbit jumped to the ground again and rushed away through the tall grass.   
Noticing how Belle seemed rather upset, he suddenly felt bad.   
“Belle,” he called out gently. “Don’t be mad. The rabbit is alright again,” he tried to assure her, but she seemed a little irritated as she turned away from him and headed to one of the many apple trees.   
“That’s not good magic,” she muttered.   
“It isn’t,” he agreed as he followed her. “But then… what did you expect? I’m the Dark One,” he reminded her, giggling awkwardly, but she only shook her head.   
“You can be better,” she said. “You don’t have to turn to dark magic, whether you are the Dark One or not. You have enough self-control to decide for yourself which magic you use or not.”  
He was a little upset by what she told him, and reminded her: “You were the one that wanted to pet a rabbit!”  
“Yes, pet it, not pull out its heart! There is a difference, Rumplestiltskin!”  
As she glared at him, Rumplestiltskin felt annoyed. Why could she not see he had only tried to make her happy?!  
Turning away from her, Rumplestiltskin made his way to another tree, picking apples so angrily that it did not go unnoticed to Belle how upset he was.  
She decided to give him a few minutes to cool down and picked as many apples as she could without needing to climb in the trees. The barrel was nearly full, and as she saw Rumplestiltskin mutter to himself in anger, she made her way over to him, approaching him from behind to slip her arms around his waist.  
“Rumple,” she said gently, kissing his shoulder, and he turned his head a little, though she felt that he was still a bit tense. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “For being so considerate. I know you were only trying to make me happy.”  
She could feel him relax as she spoke those words, and he slowly turned around, wrapping his own arms around her shoulders to look at her.   
“And I know you’re only trying to make me happy too,” he admitted, sighing softly.   
As they hugged each other, they were both able to smile again, and Rumplestiltskin suggested: “Let’s gather some more apples. Then we can move out of this place and head to the next one!”  
“What will we do there then?” she wondered curiously.   
“Gather some more provisions, of course,” he replied eagerly. “You’ve eaten quite a bit since you came aboard. It’s about time we gathered some more resources.”  
“Are we in danger of running out of food?”  
“No, don’t worry, my dear. We’re not. Just playing safe. You never know which worlds we’ll go to next. I want you to be able to eat and live like a princess with me. I don’t want you to want for anything.”  
Her heart warmed at his words, and she inclined her head, blushing. Rumplestiltskin was leaving her very little to wish for, indeed.

 

They spent an entire week gathering resources. Barrels of apples, pears, grapes and various berries made it back to the ship, and in the afternoon Rumplestiltskin even went hunting, promising Belle that he would not make the animals suffer needlessly, and he would only pick the older ones. While they were out in the meadows and forests, the ship continued sailing, but on the seventh day, the Black Bones threw out the anchor and disappeared below-deck. Rumplestiltskin explained that the ship had already reached its destination, and that they’d have to wait three more weeks to move to the next world.  
As they spent so much time together, and only had each other to count on for company, there were moments when there was such a tension between them that it was hard to believe that they did not kiss. But they both tried their hardest to keep each other occupied, and so they spent their afternoons walking, reading, having picnics on the abandoned meadows, chasing goats and everything they could imagine to fill their days.   
During their walks, Rumplestiltskin taught Belle how to properly summon fire, without burning her hand in the process, and as the sun went down, he tried to teach her how to light a campfire by shooting the flame from her hand. By nightfall, the fire was burning nicely, and as they lay down on a warm blanket, he summoned some grapes, cheese, bread and wine to fill their stomachs, and as she had put some cheese on one of her rolls and taken a bite, she moaned.   
“This is good cheese,” she admitted. “Very good cheese… Here, you must try it…”  
She held the roll in front of his mouth and – with butterflies in his stomach – he took a shy bite, nodding as he agreed with her.   
“That’s very nice.”  
She happily took another bite herself, and he watched her in the light of the flames, her blue dress matching her eyes beautifully, and as she noticed his stare and turned to him with a curious expression on his face, he blushed.   
“What is it?” she asked curiously, and he felt the nervous pit in his stomach.  
“You’re very beautiful,” he admitted. “I like to watch you.”  
Now she started to blush as well, and she replied: “I like to watch you too.”  
He chuckled. “Can’t imagine it’s for the same reason.”  
She smiled a little sadly at that remark, and admitted: “I think you’re beautiful too, though…”  
“I’m old…”  
“But beautiful,” she insisted. “I like your eyes, and your figure, and your mouth, not to mention your hair. It’s beautiful.”  
Her words made him speechless, and he tried to see if she was lying, but as always, there was nothing but pure honesty on her face.   
“I suppose you’ve been stuck with me for too long,” he replied jokingly. “Can’t even imagine what a good-looking man would look like. That’s why you have now settled for me.”  
She shook her head as she took another bite from her meal, and after swallowing it, she continued: “I thought you had beautiful eyes from the first moment I saw you,” she admitted. “I had never seen dark eyes like yours. They have a beautiful shape.”  
As he started laughing, she continued with a smile: “And they’re even more beautiful when you laugh. You get these little wrinkles that melt my heart.”  
He looked at her with a gentle gaze in his eyes. She was such a sweetheart – so adorable and lovable – his greatest treasure.   
She took a sip from her glass of wine, smiling at him.  
With a wave of his hand, his body turning scaly as he used his magic, he moved the leftovers from their meal to the side of the blanket, and after he had transformed back into his human appearance, he moved closer to her, wrapping her in his arms to look at her.   
“You make me happy,” he admitted in a whisper. “Sometimes, you even make me forget.”  
“Forget what?” she wondered quietly, putting her hands on his chest, wondering if his heart was beating as loudly as her own.   
“Forget the things I miss. Forget that I’m not worthy of love.”  
“You are worthy of love,” she whispered. “Everyone’s worthy of love.”  
“Not the Dark One,” he insisted, though his eyes were focused on her lips with that sense of longing he had been feeling for months.   
Belle noticed it, and slowly moved her lips to his, and when he pulled away at the last moment, she let out a slightly irritated sigh.   
“Why won’t you let me kiss you?” she asked, her voice a little whiny as she watched him shake his head.   
“You deserve better.”  
“Stop saying that! Stop telling yourself that! There is no one else here. I deserve _you_. I want _you_.”  
He wasn’t certain if it was the light of the fire, or the light of the northern lights, but she seemed to be glowing, and his mouth dropped a little as he looked at her. Her beauty completely mesmerized him, and it only increased the aching feeling in his chest.   
“Please, Rumple,” she begged him. “I want _you_ , and I know you want me. I heard you yesterday morning, when you went to your study,” she admitted a little more boldly, and his eyes grew large as he realized what she had heard. “And I know it wasn’t the first time this week!” she continued, hoping that she could get him to admit. “I thought we made a deal.”  
“What deal?” he asked, completely confused.   
“That we could do it again sometime in this world: relieve each other, I mean. We said so before we crossed over.”  
“Did we?” he asked weakly, too amazed by her to stop her, but he knew that he remembered her words all too well.   
“Yes!” she insisted. “Yet you don’t ask me for help and always go alone. And now you won’t kiss me either. I mean… I like our cuddling, but I have other desires too. Must we both tend to those alone when I know that we both feel very strongly for each other?”  
The boldness in her words completely knocked the air out of his lungs, and he looked at her as though she was unreal.   
“Aren’t you going to say something?” she asked him, her voice trembling.   
He was too amazed to say something, and he felt how dry his mouth was.   
“You… you want to sleep with me?” he asked softly.   
She laughed at his question. “Rumple, we have been sleeping with each other _for months_. What I want is to _kiss_ you – to touch you freely. I want you to do to me what husbands do to their brides on their wedding night. I want to spend my life with you, is what I’m saying.”  
He was unable to believe her and just stared at her, certain that there had been something in her drink that made her speak those words.   
“Say something!” she insisted, feeling her resolve weaken the more he kept quiet, and he blinked his eyes a few times as he looked at her.  
“You want… _sex_?” he asked her incredulously.   
“Yes,” she admitted, her cheeks turning red. “I want sex,” she repeated, her head nearly as red as a tomato. “Eventually. Not… not necessarily tonight…” She was stammering now, and it confused Rumplestiltskin even more. “But… I was hoping we could kiss. I… I want to move our relationship forward.”  
All her words surprised him, and he felt terror overtake him at the prospect of sharing his bed with her in that way.   
“Belle,” he said slowly. “I’m… I’m scared.”  
Those words caused her heart to ache, and she realized that perhaps she’d been coming on too strong to him. She bit her lip and inched closer to him, looking him in the eye.   
“What is it, Rumple?” she asked gently, stroking his cheek to encourage him to tell her.   
“I’m not… not a very good lover. I don’t want to lose you.” It was hard to look at her as he admitted this, but he kept his eyes focused on her regardless of his own discomfort.  
“Why would you say that?” she wondered softly.   
“My former wife… Milah… She… she wasn’t satisfied with me. That’s why she left me.”  
“You told me she left you for a pirate.”  
“Yes. Because I could not satisfy her, I guess…” He looked away now, unable to admit this and see the disappointment in her eyes at the same time. “I could not satisfy her physically, nor emotionally. She once cared for me, but it stopped. I wasn’t what she had wanted me to be. I… I don’t want that to happen to us too, Belle. You think I’m wonderful… Or perhaps talented, because of my age, but… I’m not. I’m really not.”  
“You think I care about that?” she said softly. “I’ve never done any of this. I have no idea what to do – but I’m willing to figure it out – with you. I’m not expecting you to be perfect, but we can learn, can’t we? We can teach each other. Just like you have taught me how to spin – and how to do magic. We can try, can’t we? We can practice?”  
She looked at him with such hope in his eyes that he had to try very hard to keep from crying. The humiliation Milah had let him endure was too fresh in his mind, her words still cutting to his soul, even after over a century had passed.   
_You think I enjoy this? A cripple sweating all over me? A coward, writhing in between my legs? The most despised man in all town, moaning and coming to me for his release?_  
The thought that Belle was now coming to him on her own accord – someone whose beauty surpassed Milah’s, inside and out – and who wanted him to take her virginity, brought tears to his eyes, and she truly did not understand it when he suddenly started sobbing.   
“Rumple!” Her voice sounded startled and she opened her arms to him, and he gladly let her wrap her soft arms around him, giving him the chance to cry it all out. She placed kisses in his hair, and whispered words of comfort to him. “I’m here for you, Rumple. We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. I love you regardless.”  
Those words caused him to cling to her even more tightly, and she let her hand run to his neck, feeling how tense he was.   
“Tell you what,” she proposed gently. “How about we go back to the ship and I give you a relaxing shoulder massage before we go to sleep? No kisses or anything, just a soothing massage to take away your stress, hm?”  
Looking up at her through teary eyes, he smiled softly. “I’d like that.”  
She kissed his nose, and let her forehead rest against his, running her hands through his hair.   
“I love you too,” he whispered as he closed his eyes, and now the tears streamed down Belle’s cheeks as well.


	31. Scars

It took them a while before they left the campfire behind, and Rumplestiltskin was trembling slightly as they entered the cabin, still shaken from all the ghosts of his past that had decided to haunt him that evening.   
“What I suggest,” Belle started gently. “Is that you take a bath right now. I know you usually don’t, but you need it. Let the hot water warm your bones, and then when you’re done, put on some pants and come to bed. You do have olive oil for me later on, don’t you?”  
He nodded weakly, and summoned a bottle of olive oil, offering it to her in silence as his appearance changed into a human one again. Belle shot him an encouraging smile.   
“Don’t worry, my love. I’m here to make you feel happy again. We’ll battle these demons of your past, together.”  
Her courageous words brought a smile to his face, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead before he made his way behind the folding screen, changing into his scaly appearance again as he filled up the bath.   
Belle heard him splash about in the tub, and looked in her own wardrobe for something to wear. Though she loved her dresses, she didn’t particularly have anything comfortable to wear in bed besides her normal nightgown – and it was too long for the occasion – too clumsy. She honestly wished she was able to transform clothing with magic, like Rumplestiltskin could.   
Feeling like nothing appropriate could be found in her own wardrobe, she opened the door to Rumplestiltskin’s, remembering how he had so many more clothes than she did, and as she saw one of his silk shirts, she pulled it from the closet. Looking at it, her eyes lit up, and she wasted no time in putting it on. Its V-neck was a bit revealing, but still decent, and she used the belt of her fighting tunic around her waist to get it into a female shape. The sleeves were long and wide, and while her bum was still covered up nicely, she realized that at the same time, she looked very sexy, and the idea that Rumplestiltskin would find her hard to resist like this, made her cheeks turn red. She loosened her hair and tossed it back and forth a few times before she found that it fell nicely down her shoulders.  
Looking at her own reflection in the glass from the cabinet, she smiled, wanting to look perfect to him.  
She proceeded then with making their bed and lit a few candles in the cot before she went to blow some others out in the rest of the cabin.   
“Am I mistaken, or is it getting darker here?” she heard Rumplestiltskin’s voice ask playfully from in the bath, and she giggled.   
“Why don’t you come out of the tub and see for yourself?” she teased him, and she heard him get out of the water.  
Realizing that he would no doubt use magic to dry himself, she waited for him in the middle of the room, her toes curling from anticipation as she kept her eyes on the folding screen, eager for him to see her like this.   
When he appeared from behind it, he was wearing nothing but his leather pants, and Belle felt how it took her breath away. His torso looked so soft – and Belle wanted nothing more than to run her hands over it.  
Rumplestiltskin felt something similar when he looked at her, his eyes traveling up her legs, wondering when he had ever given her such a short nightgown, but when he saw the sleeves that were a bit too long for her, he realized that it was his own shirt.   
They looked at each other for a while, time seeming to stop for a few moments, and when Belle suddenly walked towards the bed, he did the same, stopping when he stood beside her, looking down at her with a smile.   
“I like what you did with your hair,” he complimented her, and she blushed.   
“It’s just loose now,” she tried to shrug it off.   
“And wilder. Alive. I like it.” He played with one of her curls in-between his fingers while she opened the curtains to the cot, and when she turned to him, she could not rip her eyes from his chest. He was hairless and smooth, and his hard nipples drew her attention.  
Noticing her distraction, Rumplestiltskin could not help but blush. Was she truly this impressed with him? He didn’t have a particularly impressive shape. He was slim, and hardly had any muscles. Yet, she suddenly put her hand on his upper arm, and smiled as she looked at him.   
“I like your arms,” she said, and he imagined he was blushing as he looked away from her.   
Realizing there was an awkward silence between them, Belle quickly grabbed the olive oil from the cupboard next to the cot, and motioned for Rumplestiltskin to lay down. “You first.”  
He noticed the towel Belle had put in the middle of the bed, and went to lay on it on his stomach, turning his head to look at her as she crawled in the bed next to him, putting some of the oil on her hands.  
“Have you ever done this before?” he asked curiously.   
“No…” she admitted honestly, but with a mysterious smile at the same time. “But I know how to do it.”  
“Did you read about it?” he asked teasingly, and Belle giggled softly.   
“That too,” she admitted. “But I also received quite a few massages myself, when I was younger.”  
Rumplestiltskin looked at her curiously. “Oh?”  
“I once sprained my shoulder pretty badly.”  
“How did you do that?” he wondered.   
“Fell off a ladder in the library.”  
He snorted, and Belle poked his side. “Don’t laugh!” she warned him strictly, and he chuckled as he closed his eyes and rested his head on the pillow.  
She suddenly moved to sit on his bum, and his eyes shot open again in surprise. The next moment, he felt her warm hands on his shoulders, and he sunk into the pillow again, already feeling his body relax under her weight and her gentle touch.   
“I was twelve. Not fully grown yet. I was allowed to explore the library though, and so I did. Our shelves were twice as big as I was. I climbed up the stairs, grabbed a few books, but on my way down, I slipped and fell. Papa always said I was lucky that I didn’t break something.”  
“But you hurt your shoulder?”  
“Yup,” she acknowledged his question, softly letting her hands run over his back. “There was a woman that came to massage my shoulders for about every day – for a year. She taught me a few techniques herself. I guess it’s been nearly ten years ago now, so you can be the judge of how much I picked up.”  
He hummed as she continued the massage, kneading the flesh around his shoulder blades and rubbing the muscles in that area with a circular motion of her palms.   
“Feels nice?” she asked him softly, and as he hummed in approval, Belle smiled and continued quietly.   
Every now and then, she put some more oil on her hands, and she made her way from his neck to his shoulders to his lower back, noticing how he relaxed under her touch.   
“How about you?” she wondered. “Did you ever hurt yourself? Before you became the Dark One?”  
She felt him tense up almost immediately, but after a few moments of silence and inner debate, she felt him relax again, and he replied: “Yes.”  
“Any scars to prove it?” she asked softly, and she saw him nod.   
“My leg,” he replied. “Above my ankle.”  
“What happened?”  
Feeling him tense once more beneath her touch, she heard him sigh.   
“If you get off me, I will show you.”  
She wasn’t certain if she wanted that. After all: she quite liked massaging him, and he felt relaxed now, but her desire to get to know him was even greater.   
Moving to the side, he turned around and sat up straight. He pulled up his pants a bit, revealing a scar that seemed to run from his ankle to his knee. It wasn’t a pretty scar – not an even line – in fact, it looked like the bones beneath his skin weren’t set straight, and Belle bit her lip as she looked at it.   
“Nasty, eh?” he asked her as he looked at her expression.   
“Whatever happened?” she wondered curiously.   
“Long story,” he admitted with a sigh. “Not at all heroic or anything of the sort.”  
“It doesn’t need to be heroic,” she said quietly. “Did someone do this to you?”  
“Yes,” he replied honestly. And he only took a moment before he admitted: “I did it myself.”  
Belle looked up at him with large eyes, uncertain what he was talking about.   
“Why?” she wondered quietly, and he shrugged.   
“Long story.”  
“I have the time,” she replied, smiling softly while she grabbed his hand, and he smiled in return, still not certain what he had ever done to deserve someone like her in his life. If anyone had ever earned the right to know him, then it was her.  
He squeezed her hand as he decided to tell her. After all: if they were ever going to move their relationship any further, then she would need to know all about him. The chance that they would ever get together after he told her everything, was very slim, but it was better to be rejected by someone who knew the truth, then to be accepted by someone who only knew the lies. If anything, then he believed that Belle would still stay by his side, even if she would be left without any attraction for him after his tale.  
He took a deep breath before he began.   
“Shortly after I married Milah, less than two months after our marriage day, I was summoned to the front of the Ogre Wars. They hadn’t been going on for very long, but the king decided that not only knights, but also civilians should be trained for the war. What I did not know as I left for the army, was that Milah was pregnant with our son, Baelfire.”  
Belle had read enough about the Ogre Wars to know that it was one of the darkest chapters in the history of the Enchanted Forest, and she bit her lip as she listened.  
“I was eager to prove myself. To fight for my country and show them I was not a coward.” He wrapped his arms around his legs as he continued talking, and Belle found him to look fragile all of a sudden. Not the sort of man that could face an ogre and survive. The look in his eyes frightened her a little. He wasn’t looking at her though, but he looked so lost as he stared at the wall, that Belle didn’t know if he’d appreciate it if she put a comforting hand on his shoulder now.  
He continued quietly. “I received a training – but as I spent my days in the camp, I started to realize that there were two options. I could die in these wars… Or I could return home a cripple. Winning… winning was just not an option. The only way to make it back home, would be to get an injury. We were vastly outnumbered and lacked the power to defeat the ogres. However…” He sighed. “…I was willing to die. To die for my country… But then something odd happened. Come to think of it… perhaps it was fate all along…”  
As he grew very quiet, Belle grew more curious, and she put her hand on his knee.   
“What was it?” she asked encouragingly.   
“I met a seer. A young girl, with the power to see the future. She was locked up in a cage – a pawn to win the war with. I never intended to talk to her, but she asked for water… And then… she told me Milah was pregnant.”  
He sucked on his lip as he thought for a few moments, and Belle could imagine how that had changed everything.   
“I could not abandon my son, Belle. I could not let him grow up without a father. I would not abandon him like I was abandoned by my own parents.”  
She nodded, understanding him. He had already told her before that his parents had left him as a child. It was something she thought was horrible.   
“I never knew my mother,” he continued. “She left before I was a year old. My father never wanted the responsibility. So he abandoned me when I was seven. I was brought up by spinsters instead.”  
Belle watched the spinning wheel on the other side of the room, before she looked at his foot once more.   
“And so… to return to your son, you crippled yourself?”  
He nodded, feeling numb as he admitted that.   
“It took me months before I was able to return home. It wouldn’t heal properly, and I needed to be able to walk for over a week. I couldn’t. I suffered from infection after infection, until – about ten months after my injury – I seemed to be more stable. I finally returned to Milah – and to my new-born son. But Milah and the entire town hated me now. Everybody thought I’d hobbled myself out of fear for the Ogres – and I will not deny that they frightened me. But my biggest motivation was that I would be able to return to my son – that I would be able to raise him, and that he’d have a loving father by his side.”  
Hearing him tell her that, broke her heart, and she moved to his side to wrap her arms around him. He put his arm around her, still surprised by how she remained by his side.   
“Milah was furious. She was married to a cripple now – to the town coward. We were ridiculed. I guess… our marriage stranded long before she left with those pirates. She stayed for several years, in a loveless marriage, but in the end it became too much for her and she left me and Bae behind.” Keeping quiet for a few moments, he admitted: “It was rough. In some ways, I can’t blame her for leaving me. I could hardly provide for us. I wasn’t a good husband. There was no way in which I could please her or make her happy. She hated me. Didn’t want me to go near her. I had brought shame to her. I tried to get Bae the food he needed – but it was very difficult – especially at nights when he said he was too hungry to fall asleep.”  
“I’m so sorry,” Belle said softly, realizing that he’d had it rough all his life. Not only had he been abandoned by so many people, but he had also suffered many hardships. Perhaps that was why he wasn’t built very strongly and looked so fragile. “Is that why you became the Dark One?” she wondered.  
He shook his head and continued. “No. Not really. That happened years later, when Bae was thirteen. The Ogre Wars were still raging and they came to take him – they wanted him to fight in the war…”  
“And that’s when you turned into the Dark One and wiped out the Ogres. To save your son.”  
He nodded, glad she understood. It felt like a weight had lifted from his heart.   
“You told me a bit more than just how you got that scar,” she said as she looked at his foot, and he smiled sadly.   
“Guess I did.”  
Smiling, she kissed his cheek.   
“I’m glad.”  
As he looked at her with a warm gaze in his eyes, she returned it, and as she lowered her gaze to his lips, she realized that even though she knew his past now, there were still scars that were holding him back.   
“Rumple?”  
“Hm?” He seemed a little distracted, his thoughts miles away as he looked at her.   
“You do realize that I’m not Milah?”  
Those words confused him, and he frowned a little as he looked at her.   
“What do you mean?”  
“I mean… From what I understand… she rejected you.” She kept quiet, waiting for him to acknowledge that, and when he nodded slowly, she took his hand. “That’s not me though,” she whispered, and he looked into her eyes, realizing that she still wanted him. After everything he had told her, she still wanted him to kiss her – to hold her – and so much more.   
“I know,” he admitted, looking at her with sadness in his eyes. “I know you’re ready, sweetheart. But I’m not sure if I am.”  
She bit her lip, trying to figure out why it was so hard for him.   
“Scars?” she asked softly.  
He nodded. “I guess they’re not fully healed yet.”  
“Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked hopefully.   
He took her hand and brought it to his lips, gently placing a kiss on it, looking at her with all the affection he felt for her. “You already are,” he said quietly. “All I need is time. I hope that one day, I will be a man worthy of your love.”  
“You already are,” she said warmly, smiling. “I see you’re trying to be better. Like with the fairy’s life you spared.”  
Of course she had to bring up that bloody fairy again, and his gaze darkened as he looked away from her.   
“Belle…” he said softly. “I… I’m not as good as you think I am.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“I didn’t spare that fairy’s life,” he admitted, and watching her confused expression, he explained: “I did not kill her myself, but the place where I left her… that island… It eh…” He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, and despite of Belle’s frightened gaze, he continued: “It’s got some pretty big birds, you see… They eat fairies.”  
Her eyes grew large, and Rumplestiltskin concluded: “I don’t think the fairy survived.”  
She clenched her jaw as she looked at him, not sure whether she should yell at him or cry, and after taking several deep breaths, she asked: “Why tell me this now?”  
“Because you deserve to know what kind of man I am. Especially if you’re considering giving me…” He gestured to her body. “…everything.”  
She shook her head as several tears streamed down her face.   
“So you lied to me.”  
“I’m not sure…” he said quietly. “I just didn’t tell you the truth, I guess.”  
She sighed. “I don’t want to give up on you, Rumple. But I need to know that you won’t go off and kill fairies – or people for that matter. Or leave them to die without my knowing! Dark One or not, I need the promise that you will try and be noble.”  
He looked at her with longing in his eyes. He hated seeing her so upset. She was too beautiful to have to deal with this, but he was putting her through it none the less.   
“I’m so sorry, Belle,” he said softly. “I’m a coward. I was afraid you’d be angry if you knew.”  
“I am angry,” she reminded him with tears in her eyes. “You went behind my back, and I thought you’d changed.” She pierced her lips together as she tried not to cry any louder, and she admitted, her voice softer again: “But I still love you. And I still believe you can be a better man.”  
Unable to see her cry like that, he pulled her into his lap to hug her, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he felt her hug him back. As he nuzzled her hair, he felt her place soft kisses in his neck, and it became a bit harder for him to breathe. He let his hand run from her bare knee to her hip, surprised to realize that his fingers had not encountered any fabric on its way there.  
He pulled back a little to look at her in alarm, and she averted her eyes with a guilty expression on her face.  
“You’re not wearing underpants?” he asked breathlessly, and she chuckled nervously.  
“Couldn’t find a pair that matched your shirt,” she admitted as she pressed her legs together rather awkwardly. “And eh… I don’t usually sleep with underpants.”  
He laughed softly at that confession, even if it didn’t do anything to stop the bulge in his pants from growing.   
“Guess that makes two of us,” he whispered secretively, and she giggled softly, trembling as he wrapped his arms even further around her. He looked at her face, trying to remember everything about her as she lay blushing in his arms. “You’re so beautiful,” he added absentmindedly, and as he saw her look at his lips again, he knew that perhaps, he had nothing to fear from her.   
Perhaps she would not cut him deeper – perhaps she would be the one to heal his scars for good.  
Leaning in, he closed his eyes, a shiver running down his spine as her soft lips finally touched his.


	32. Bliss

His lips felt soft and warm against hers, and she melted away in his arms, feeling her entire body tingle in anticipation. He was the one to pull back first, and when she opened her eyes and saw a trace of fear in his eyes, she smiled reassuringly, and he quickly returned that smile, a sigh of relief leaving his mouth.   
Putting her hands in his neck, she gently pulled him closer for a second kiss, and was glad to find that he happily indulged her. With one hand, he held onto her back, and the other traveled from her knee to her hip and back again. He wasn’t the only one curious about the other’s body, and Belle lowered her hands from his neck to his chest, blushing when he broke the kiss again.  
“Are you alright?” she asked softly, fearing that something was wrong.  
He nodded and smiled gently, a blush on his cheek from the arousal she caused him.   
“Shall we eh…” Belle grinned nervously as she looked down at the bulge in his pants. “You know… relieve each other?”  
He gulped, feeling like they were going a little too fast.   
“Right now?” he asked, his voice a little incredulous.   
“Well… After a bit more of kissing,” she said shyly. “I’m just… What I’m saying is… We don’t have to go all the way, you know.”  
He nodded briefly. “Yes… I mean, I agree. With both things. Just kissing first and eh… not going all the way later.”  
Glad that they were on the same level about that, Belle suddenly moved out of his arms and lay down on her back, taking his hand to pull him towards her.   
Even though it felt like his pants were on much too tight, he managed to move besides her first, and as she turned to her side as well, they once more looked for the other’s mouth, closing their eyes as they moved their bodies closer together for both warmth and comfort. They embraced each other tightly as their wet lips moved over each other, and while Belle’s hand once more reached for his chest, he let his hand travel to her legs again, moving towards her bum and gently squeezing the tender flesh there.   
Belle broke the kiss with a gasp, and Rumplestiltskin was about to apologize when he suddenly saw the naughty gaze in her eyes. She moved her fingers to his nipple and started circling it, causing him to bite his lip as he looked at her.   
“Tease,” he muttered, and Belle chuckled softly before they kissed each other again. She moaned into his mouth when she felt his other hand on her bum as well, and when he pulled her onto his lap all of a sudden, rolling on his back, he returned that moan. As his hands kneaded the soft flesh of her bum, she let her weight sink on his lap, noticing how she was straddling him, and once her full weight was on him, he suddenly moaned louder, causing Belle to startle a little.  
“Are you alright?” she asked quickly, and he panted as he looked at her.   
“Gods, that felt a little too right,” he admitted, and Belle looked at him with wide eyes.   
“Did you come already?”  
He laughed at that remark, pulling her closer to him again. “No, sweetheart. I bet I’ll come pretty quickly later, but not just from feeling your weight on me. But I’m telling you already that it feels amazing.”  
Her cheeks reddened at that remark, and she kissed him sweetly before she admitted: “It feels pretty amazing sitting on you like this.”  
“I can imagine,” he whispered as he looked down, not seeing much because of the way the shirt she was wearing covered up everything.   
She slowly moved up until she sat on him, and he moaned as he felt the weight she put on him increase again. She started undoing the belt around her waist, and threw it out of the bed rather clumsily, causing Rumplestiltskin to laugh softly.   
“I’ll work on that,” she joked, and they both giggled for a moment. But as their eyes locked again, Rumplestiltskin realized that she had even more planned for him, and when she pulled the shirt over her head, he could not help his labored breathing. From her belly and her cute belly button, to her beautiful round breasts and bare shoulders – she was stunning as she revealed herself. But nothing was as beautiful as the look in her eyes – the look of a young woman that was proud of herself, and happy to give herself to him – to him, of all people. It was hard to believe.   
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered again, and she leaned forward to kiss him, giving him the chance to wrap her in his arms.  
She giggled once more when he flipped her over, and he started placing wet kisses in her neck that excited her in a way she had not known was possible. She moaned in approval at his kisses, and he ran his hands down her sides, leaving her to ache for him.   
“Rumple,” she whimpered, and as he took a moment to look at her, she smiled warmly. “That’s amazing!”   
He could not believe that she wasn’t repulsed by him – that she did not just lay there, quietly suffering, as he could remember Milah doing during their last times together. Belle encouraged him to be bold, and he moved down her body to kiss every inch of her breasts, leaving her to giggle in appreciation.   
“Oh Rumple,” she sighed. “You’re so sweet.”  
He looked up at her with a genuine smile, before he made his way down to her belly button, feeling her tense a little as he moved lower and lower. She suddenly stopped him before he could move lower than where her curls began, and he looked up at her with caution, afraid he had crossed a line.   
“You – you don’t have to go down there,” she said shyly, and he nodded as he moved up again, hugging her in his arms, and he could feel how she relaxed once more.   
“May I know why you don’t like the idea?” he asked softly, tracing patterns on her back as he held her in his arms, and she nodded.   
“It’s just… odd… and hairy,” she said awkwardly, and Rumplestiltskin chuckled.   
“It can be sexy too,” he said quietly. “In fact, they say that a woman tastes divine down there.”  
“Somehow I doubt that,” she replied, still a little awkward, when she realized: “You’ve never done it before then? With your first wife?”  
He shook his head. “No… Our sex life was… extremely limited.”  
“What do you mean?” she asked gently, curiously, and he only doubted for a moment whether it was something he should tell her. But seeing her sweet eyes, he could not deny her.   
“When we were just married, we just had like… like one position,” he looked a little awkward telling her this. “There are more, of course, but we both hardly knew what we were doing. It were different times, and it was winter, and I only saw her completely naked once, really. We kept most of our clothes on usually, and it was…well… awkward. Not… not particularly loving. More like something we needed to ‘get over and done with’. We hardly knew anything of love-making, and I know that I wasn’t particularly… a natural… Then, when I returned from the war, with my limp, and… and with my new reputation… it was… it was horrible.” He didn’t seem proud to admit it, but he did so anyway, taking a deep breath before he continued. “She didn’t want me to touch her. It took her a few weeks to finally voice that feeling, but once she did, we never did anything ever again.”  
It broke her heart to hear that, and she stroked his hair in concern.   
“I’m so sorry to hear that,” she whispered.  
He shrugged. “It’s the way it is…” He gently let one of his fingers run down her cheek, and smiled softly. “I want to be a better lover, Belle. And I know that you already are a better lover than I deserve. The way you dare to bare yourself to me… It’s beautiful. It’s brave. It shows me how much you trust me.”  
She didn’t let him finish, his words making her desire for him grow exponentially, and she kissed him fiercely, startling him a little. When she broke up the kiss, they both panted softly, and as he noticed Belle’s smile, he grinned carefully himself.   
“You’re amazing,” he said breathlessly, and he noticed the blush and the look in her eyes, betraying that she was thinking of something she was a little ashamed of.   
“So eh…” She looked at him shyly. “What was it you wanted to do down there?”  
He felt his mouth go dry, and admitted: “Kiss you and lick you… until you would come that way.”  
Just the way he looked at her as he said that, made her grow wetter for him, and she felt her heart beat in her throat.  
“It’s a bit of an awkward place to kiss someone,” she said shyly, but part of her was curious about the sensation.   
“I know,” he admitted. “I… I haven’t done it before. But I have seen it before…”  
“Seen it?” she repeated curiously, her entire face red from anticipation. “Did you watch people?”  
He nodded shyly, but she noticed his mischievous grin at the same time.   
“A brothel,” he explained. “I had business there.”  
“Sexual business?” Belle wondered, frowning, and Rumplestiltskin chuckled.   
“No, sweetheart. That’s not my style.”  
A relieved expression filled her face again, and Rumplestiltskin continued: “It was quite a horrible brothel, in many ways. The men that visited were pirates – not the most sensible of lovers. The women had no one to protect them. So they asked for my help to protect them.”  
Belle frowned. “And you made a deal with them? What did they give you in return?”  
“They offered me as many visits as I would like, in return for the means to keep them safe.”  
“So how did you keep them safe?”  
“I left a few Black Bones to protect them for a while. Pirates still visited, but they knew that if they hurt the women, they would not survive.”  
Belle grinned, impressed by the tale. “And then how did you watch them?” she wondered curiously, hoping she wasn’t being too inquisitive about this.   
“Simple. I used some invisibility potion.”  
They both giggled at that, and Rumplestiltskin kept on talking while he gently rubbed her back.   
“I saw one of the pirates ‘go down’ – as they call it – on one of the women. He was loved by many of them, and so I was curious about what he did to them… He made her come several times that way, just licking her, sucking her.”  
Belle’s breathing was becoming a little rougher as she listened to him tell her that, but she was too curious to stop him from telling her more.   
“What about her hairs?” she wondered. “Weren’t they in the way?”  
He shook his head. “They shaved – or waxed – I’m not certain about that. Most of the women still had hairs, but not so much.”  
“That sounds more pleasant indeed,” Belle replied, trying to imagine it, and Rumplestiltskin noticed that perhaps she wasn’t as opposed to the idea as he had feared.  
“If you want…” he offered carefully. “…I could remove your hairs down there.”  
“Shave, you mean?” she asked with a blush on her cheeks, but he shook his head.  
“No, magically. Just… remove them. Like I can whisk other things away, I can whisk away the hairs.”  
“Permanently?”  
“I figure they’ll grow back.”  
Biting her lip, Belle thought about his proposal. “Well… I must say I like the idea,” she admitted with a smile. “Go ahead,” she encouraged him, and he pulled himself away from her before he changed into his scaly appearance. Belle watched his bare torso, his scaly skin looking a bit rougher, but just as appealing as his normal skin.   
“Can you open your legs a little wider?” he asked her shyly, and she obliged him as she closed her eyes.  
He relaxed a little more as he saw that she wasn’t watching him while he did this, and he put his hand an inch from her skin, removing the hair with a gentle wave.   
As he withdrew his hand and looked at her, he felt a twitch in his groin. She looked so soft – and so wet – that it made him feel his own pulse in his cock.   
“Done,” he said in a rougher tone than usual, and when she opened her eyes and looked down, she suddenly smiled. She let her hand move towards the area, and she grinned widely when she felt the new sensation.   
“So soft!” she remarked, and as she noticed Rumplestiltskin’s awkward and longing gaze, she pulled him close to her again. While she did so, he changed into his human appearance again, and as Belle kissed him, she took his hand and moved it where she wanted it.   
Their kisses became sloppy as he started touching her down there, her slit feeling even wetter than he had imagined, and she moaned into his mouth.  
Breaking their kiss, Rumplestiltskin smiled at Belle, and she knew what he was planning next. She did not object as he placed a trail of kisses from her neck to her belly button, and he positioned himself between her legs before he placed a soft kiss between her legs, causing her to suck her lip in longing. When he moved his tongue between her folds, she gasped, and as he started flicking his tongue from side to side, she cried out in bliss.   
“Oh, Gods, Rumple!” she moaned, arching her back to meet his tongue.   
He looked up at her, relief coursing through him as he realized that she looked happier than Milah had ever been with him, and that gave him the courage to be a little bolder. He started prodding at her entrance with his tongue, and her moans told him that she loved it. Pulling away from her to breathe, she looked down at him, and he saw in her eyes that she was worried about him.   
“I was right,” he said teasingly. “You taste divine.”  
She laughed, dropping her head in the pillow again. “I know you’re exaggerating about that.”  
“It’s still very nice. Very sexy.”  
He once more moved his lips to her sensitive bud, and she cried out as she felt his tongue again, stroking her from her entrance to her bud.   
“Tell me what you like,” he asked her as he pulled away once more.   
“I like it all!” she replied breathlessly, grasping the sheets in anticipation.   
“Then tell me what you need in order to come,” he continued gently before he started circling her bud with his tongue, causing her to let out a low moan.   
“That feels so nice,” she admitted. “It’s incredible but… It’s not fast enough…”  
She had hardly said the words, or she felt his tongue flick around her faster, and she gasped.   
“Softer!” she cried out, the amount of pressure almost like needles in her skin. “Softer, but faster!” she encouraged him, and as he did what she asked, she felt her climax build.   
“Oh Gods, yes!” she cried out, moving herself against his tongue, and she heard him chuckle a little because of her enthusiasm. His chuckle sent even more vibrations through her skin, and she gasped.   
“Almost,” she said breathlessly. “Lower too!”  
As he started licking from her entrance to her bud again, she held her breath, until she felt a final lick push her over the edge.   
“Rumple!” she cried out as she felt wave after wave of pleasure take over, and she suddenly pushed his head away from her when it felt like she could take no more.   
He looked at her as she lay there, panting and writhing before him, his beautiful Belle. His cock was throbbing for her, but he knew that they would not go that far tonight. But even if they wouldn’t go all the way, he felt blessed for how far they had gone tonight regardless.   
He moved on top of her to kiss her lips, and he was glad to feel her wrap her arms around him in gratitude, her kisses both sweet and longing.   
She pulled away from him a little as she tasted herself on his lips, and he could see how she ran her tongue over her own lips, taking the flavor in.   
“Could be worse,” she said. “I wouldn’t call it divine though.”  
They both chuckled, and as he lowered himself to kiss her again, he suddenly felt her hand against the bulge in his pants, and he jerked involuntarily at the touch.   
“Your turn now,” she said sweetly, and Rumplestiltskin felt his heart ache for her. “Why don’t you take off your pants?”  
Perhaps a better man would have given her the time to enjoy the after-bliss, but he was starting to pine so hard for his own release that he was unable to wait any longer. He rolled off her, and awkwardly pulled off his pants. They were too tight, and he gasped as his hard member was released into the colder air around them.   
While he threw his pants out of the cot, Belle only had eyes for his erection, and she looked rather impressed.   
“It’s quite terrifying, in a way…” she said as she looked at it, and he raised an amused eyebrow.   
“Oh?”  
“To think that has to fit inside me. That has to hurt.”  
Rumplestiltskin looked away awkwardly, remembering his first times with Milah.   
“Yeah, eh… Which is why it’s better not to go that far for now…”  
He had no desire at all to hurt her, and from what he had felt with his tongue, she was incredibly tight. He had no idea how he was ever going to enter her without causing her to cry out in pain.   
“So tell me what to do,” she said eagerly, and he looked at her in surprise. He thought she had known already – after all, she had made him come once before. But perhaps she wanted to learn even more?  
She smiled encouragingly. “So I eh… I sort of just take you…” She wrapped her fingers around him, and he bit his lip in order not to embarrass himself, and she immediately noticed it and let go. “Too rough?” she asked him, a bit of fear in her voice.  
He panted a little. “I’m just… sensitive when I’m hard... Especially now. It’s because I’ve had it for quite a long time now – this erection. It’s different from when it’s new.”  
“Did you come already?” she wondered, noticing a few drips of white cum running down his shaft, and he chuckled as he moved his back against the wall to sit up straight, his member resting against his lower stomach.  
“No, sweetie,” he replied. “Men get wet too, like you do. It’s to make it all go smoother.”  
“Oh!” She shot him a relieved smile, and he returned it. “Come sit next to me,” he encouraged her, and she did as he told her, leaning against him as he opened his hand. “Put your hand in mine,” he said softly. “With the back of yours against my palm.”  
Understanding what he wanted to try, she put her hand in his, following his motion as he moved to grab his member, softly wrapping her fingers around him until she had a firm grip of him. As he moved his hand – with hers in it – up and down, he moaned softly, and Belle felt her cheeks grow red because of it.   
Opening his eyes again, he stopped the motion for a moment to move her thumb to a spot he was particularly sensitive about. “I like it when you put a little more pressure to that spot,” he admitted, and as she did as he showed her and moved her hand over him, rubbing the sensitive spot extra hard, he moaned loudly as he let go of her hand and closed his eyes.   
Belle couldn’t get enough of his moans. They left her throbbing, and she eagerly continued her attempt to please him. Sometimes it sounded like he was really close, and his moans became more erratic with each of her rubs.   
After several minutes, her arm was starting to get a little sore, and she wondered why he wasn’t coming yet.   
“Shall I go faster?” she suggested, and he could hardly talk and just nodded quickly as he opened his eyes to look at her, gratitude in his eyes, and she smiled warmly before she sped up her motions.   
“Gods, Belle!” he cried out, sometimes nearly screaming her name, other times whimpering with longing, but though she noticed how he sometimes grew a little wetter, he did not come, and she felt annoyed that it felt like her arm was about to fall off if she had to continue this for much longer.   
After over ten minutes, she slowed down, and Rumplestiltskin opened his eyes as he noticed something was wrong.   
“Belle,” he whispered, his eyes apologetic. “I’m sorry… It’s just…”  
She shrugged, trying to show him that it was alright. “I’m not good at this thing I suppose.”  
“No!” he replied fiercely, taking her hand in his. “No, you’re wonderful! Brilliant, even!”  
“Last time it didn’t take this long,” she said softly. “It hardly took over a minute.”  
“I know,” he replied quickly. “I don’t know what it is either. I tend to come too quickly, and usually don’t last this long.”  
He had no idea what was wrong, and he could see that Belle was trying to figure it out as well.   
“Maybe you should lie down instead…” she suggested. “And get rid of the hairs.”  
“The hairs?” His eyes grew large as he looked at her, wondering what she meant.   
“Well… Perhaps it will be easier for you to come if I kiss you down there.”  
He gulped heavily, surprised by her boldness. “I’m not sure if kissing me is going to help.”  
“Even if it isn’t going to make you come, I need something else to do right now. It feels like my arm is about to fall off.”  
She shot him an apologetic smile, and he shook his head in sympathy.   
“Oh Belle… I’m so sorry for this.”  
“Don’t be!” she told him sternly. “It could have been me as well, right? What if I would not have come earlier on? Would you have given up on me too?”  
“No,” he replied with a certain smile, and she was quick to return it.   
“So neither will I. Now. The hairs. Whisk them away.”  
He chuckled, amused by her bossy tone, but he would gladly obey her. He was still throbbing for her, and it really made no sense that he had not come already, but he would gladly obey any of her wishes. As he transformed into his scaly self, he felt his cock twitch, and just as he lifted his member and removed the hairs, he felt a tightening in his balls which could only mean one thing.  
“Gods no,” he muttered, and before he could stop himself, he moaned as his orgasm overtook him completely, his semen shooting against his stomach in no less than seven violent outbursts.   
Belle was completely surprised as she saw the white fluid shoot out of his scaly cock, and her eyes grew large as she realized that she had had nothing to do with it.   
“No…” he moaned in agony, closing his eyes as he felt completely devastated because of how this had gone. As soon as he had caught his breath again, he opened his eyes to look at Belle, the disappointment on her face cutting him.   
“I’m so sorry, Belle,” he apologized weakly. “I could not stop it.”  
With a wave of his scaly hand, he whisked his semen from his stomach, and he transformed into his human self again before he approached her, taking her hand in his.  
It was as she saw his human hand, that she realized something, and her eyes widened once more.   
“I get it!” she suddenly said before he could apologize. “I know why you couldn’t come!”  
He looked at her with a confused gaze, wondering why she looked so happy.   
“Answer me this, Rumple… Since you are the Dark One, have you ever been able to come while you looked human like this?”  
He opened his mouth to answer her, but once he realized what she was implying, he looked at her in horror.  
Belle, however, looked delighted.   
“That’s why it didn’t work! You can’t come when you’re not in your true form!”  
His horrified expression did not leave his face, and now it was Belle who frowned. “Why that face? What is it, love, what’s wrong?”  
He gulped and shook his head. “What’s wrong? What’s wrong is that I can’t look human while making love to you,” he muttered darkly, and Belle’s soft laugh confused him.   
“Sweetheart,” she whispered. “I really couldn’t care less about that. And besides, look at it from the bright side!”  
He looked at her in confusion, and Belle kissed his lips sweetly, confusing him even more.   
“It means that – whenever you do look human – you won’t ever have to worry again about coming too quickly, right?”  
It was when she winked at him that he realized she was right, and it wasn’t before long that he was grinning just as widely as she was. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her eagerly, causing her to giggle in amusement.   
“I love you, Belle…” he whispered tenderly, and those words brought a loving smile to her face.   
She looked into his dark eyes, sighing deeply before she whispered: “And I love you, Rumplestiltskin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all had a good Christmas, here's a little belated Christmas present. ;-) Best wishes for the new year as well, and don't forget to check out the two stories I've been posting for Rumbelle Secret Santa. "The Other Path" is an Enchanted Forest AU taking place in the Dark Castle, and "The Bus Lovers" is a Storybrooke AU where newcomer Belle French becomes a new passenger on the bus Rumford Gold takes to work each day. Hope you'll enjoy them!


	33. A Life to Get Used to

They spent the night naked in each other’s arms, and both Rumplestiltskin and Belle could not remember that they had ever felt this happy in their lives. Belle woke a few times. The first time was when she felt his human skin change into his rougher scaly one, and as she saw how deeply sleep had taken him, she gently kissed his lips, hoping it would bring him good dreams.  
The second time, she woke in the morning, when he transformed back to his human self, and when she opened her eyes, she saw him looking at her, a small, but happy smile on his face. It made his sleepy eyes even more wonderful to look at, and without saying anything, they both understood that it was too early to get up. They closed their eyes again and slept a bit longer, holding each other a little tighter.  
When it was almost time to get up, she noticed how his member had once again risen against her hip, and when she moved to look down at it, he opened his eyes as well.  
“You’re eager to see me,” she said teasingly, and Rumplestiltskin chuckled.  
“As always, my princess,” he replied in a voice that was deep with sleep, and Belle thought he sounded wonderful that way.  
Belle licked her lips to kiss him, and he closed his eyes once more, moaning contentedly as their lips met.  
“Shall you wake me like this each day, from now on?” he wondered softly, and Belle grinned.  
“If you want me to. You only need to ask…” she replied slowly, blinking her eyes seductively as she looked at him and she slowly took his erection in her hand, causing him to shiver under her touch.  
“Gods…” he muttered, sucking his lip as she rubbed the exact sensitive spot he had told her about the night before. Trying to compose himself, he opened his eyes and told her: “Sweetheart, you don’t have to do that right now.”  
Belle hesitated, confused.  
“But… you’re hard,” she replied softly, almost apologetically, and Rumplestiltskin smiled once more. “Yes. And I am most mornings, actually. It’s a natural thing. It doesn’t mean you have to tend to my needs every time you see this.”  
She felt a little confused by those words, but let him wrap her in his arms, and she moved closer to him, her hands on his chest instead while she felt him against her stomach.  
“Won’t you tend to it yourself then?” she wondered, and his chuckle made her skin tingle.  
“No, not always. It will grow soft again on its own.”  
“Ah…” Belle was partly ashamed for knowing so little, but another part of her was intrigued at the same time. She kissed his lips briefly, noticing how his eyes glazed over a bit as she did so. She continued her short kisses, not just kissing his lips, but also his jaw and his neck.  
“That’s not going to make it grow softer,” he purred as she left a rather long kiss beneath his ear, and she briefly smiled to herself before she continued her attentions to his neck, leaving him to breathe a little harder with each kiss of hers.  
She flipped him on his back and sat on top of him, her own sex against his as they looked at each other, and Rumplestiltskin moaned in approval.  
“Gods, Belle, I’m not even inside of you and you already feel like heaven…”  
As he moved against her, Belle felt the friction against her bud, and she moaned softly as well.  
Noticing how she enjoyed the sensation too, he watched her carefully as he rocked his hips, letting her slide over him. Their pace was slow, lazy even, and their eyes locked for a few moments, both unashamed and content.  
Rumplestiltskin put his hands on her hips, supporting her as she started rocking against him in return, and he could feel her lips getting wetter against his cock. He wasn’t certain which of them was responsible for that, but he was not going to complain either way.  
“You’re not cold, are you?” he asked softly, and she shook her head.  
“Not really…” she replied sweetly. “I’m enjoying myself too much to pay attention to the cold.”  
He chuckled as he looked up at her.  
“Well I certainly never expected to spend one of my mornings with you like this,” he replied dryly, and as she started laughing, the friction against his member nearly caused him to double up from sensitivity.  
Noticing it, she made an effort to keep her giggles down a bit, and she shook her head. “Well that’s what you deserve,” she said in a strict tone, winking at him.  
As his breathing calmed down again, he closed his eyes and his mouth fell open, just enjoying the moment as it was. His beautiful Belle on top of him, pleasuring him in ways no one had ever done before, and the knowledge that she loved him – not a part of him, but all of him – took his own inhibitions away. All, save for one.  
“Rumple, why don’t you change your appearance?” she wondered softly, and he opened his eyes in surprise.  
“I doubt that’s what you want, my dear. I wouldn’t be able to hold for very long,” he replied honestly, though it was only a part of the truth.  
“At this pace?” she said carefully. “It’s not very fast.”  
“It isn’t, but you are incredibly sexy, my lady.”  
She blushed at that compliment, and he smiled happily to see her that way.  
“But still,” she returned to the subject. “I want to make you come this time… Please?”  
She looked at him with pleading eyes, and though he could not imagine she’d find him sexy this way, he felt like he could at least indulge her. She was too sweet, too wonderful to deny her any of her wishes.  
Changing into his scaly self, he looked at her with a bit of terror in his eyes. Belle immediately noticed it and bent down to kiss him, stopping their rocking for a moment.  
His kisses had grown very shy all of a sudden, but Belle would not have it that way. She grew bolder as she held him by the back of his head, her fingers entwined in his hair while she sucked gently on his bottom lip - until he moaned. That was when she kissed him full on the mouth again, and she continued her rocking, noticing how he felt a little rougher beneath her now, but they were both wet enough to keep it pleasurable. In fact, it increased the friction for her, and she broke her kiss as she moaned softly.  
“You feel amazing, my love,” she complimented him, and that gave him the courage to grab a hold of her hips once more, directing her movements over him.  
“I’m very lucky,” he whispered as he watched her move against him, and he returned her grin with one of his own.  
She started rocking a little harder, and he gasped in response, feeling his balls tighten, but he tried to keep from coming despite of it, holding his breath.  
Seeing how he was struggling to keep himself composed, Belle realized that she would have to hurry up this time. The friction was delightful, and she moaned loudly as she felt her climax near.  
“Rumple!” she cried out, and she suddenly held very still as the first wave of pleasure hit her. Rumplestiltskin recognized the moment and quickly rocked himself against her, just the sight of her enough to drive him over the edge, and they both moaned passionately as they came.  
Once the moment passed, they looked at each other with an idiotic smile on their faces, and Rumplestiltskin sat up to hold her in his arms and kiss her. She hugged him tight as she returned his kisses, humming from happiness, and Rumplestiltskin even managed to forget that he wasn’t looking like his human self. He felt loved, and that made all other thoughts irrelevant.  
What broke them away from their bliss, was the sticky wetness they suddenly noticed near their stomachs, and Belle giggled softly as she watched it.  
“That’s a little ew,” she admitted, and Rumplestiltskin chuckled, waving his hand to clean up the both of them. “But it was sexy too,” she admitted in a hushed voice, winking at him. He kissed her once more, too satisfied to let go of her just yet.  
“What would you like to do today, my precious princess?” he purred, and he started placing kisses in her neck while he waited for her response.  
“Maybe we could share a bath?” she suggested, arching her back as his kisses were encouraging the longing she felt for him. “And we could go for a walk in the meadows? And have a picnic by the fireplace… And then later tonight… Whatever we feel like…”  
She looked at him seductively again, and he bowed his head, the heat rising in his groin again, just from thinking of how they would be able to explore each other like this whenever they wanted to from now on, and it made him the happiest man alive. He knew that his life still wasn’t complete – that he needed Bae by his side – but part of him felt happy that Bae wasn’t around right now – as selfish as that sounded.  
He lifted her up in his arms, and she tightly held onto him, looking into his eyes as he carried her to the tub behind the folding screen and with a small wave of his hand, it filled up with warm water. He let her sink into the water before he joined her, asking her to move forward as he sat behind her.  
Belle closed her eyes as he softly rubbed her back, and she noticed how his skin turned human again after a few moments. When she turned to look at him, wondering why he had done that, he said softly: “These hands aren’t so rough…”  
She shot him a sad gaze, and he smiled sadly in return before she turned her head once more, her eyes fixed on his scar. She softly let her fingers trail over the skin, and Rumplestiltskin held quiet while she explored his leg.  
After several minutes, she let herself sink against him, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the hot water.  
He made it a game to cup up water in his hands, before letting it fall over her breasts, watching her nipples harden each time they cooled down, and once Belle noticed what he was doing, she nudged his side, letting a giggle escape from his mouth.  
“I like playing with you,” he whispered in her ear, and she chuckled.  
“I see that. As long as you play nice, I won’t complain.”  
“Don’t I play nice then?” he asked in a childish tone, and it caused Belle to laugh.  
“Of course you do, my love. If you didn’t, you’d be in this bath by yourself.”  
He kissed her sweetly in her neck, and she smiled warmly, suddenly turning around in his arms, and he held her tightly so she couldn’t slip from him in the water. They spend a while longer sharing tender kisses before they finally came out of the tub. Rumplestiltskin dried Belle off, leaving kisses all over her body once she was no longer trembling from the cold, and Belle was glowing by the time he was done with her.  
For the occasion, he put on a red vest on top of his leather pants, and Belle smiled approvingly.  
“Aren’t you hungry?” he asked in a slightly worried tone as she put on her blue dress, and she shrugged.  
“My stomach is filled with butterflies. There’s no room for food, or so it seems.”  
“Ah. I know that sensation…” He looked at her teasingly. “But how about a bit of… salmon?”  
Belle purred as she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him, kissing his nose. “You’re too good for me.”  
“No,” he disagreed with her. “I’m trying to be as good as I think you deserve.”  
“You’re exceeding my expectations.” She sighed with a lazy expression on her face. “I always knew I had a pretty high standard when it came to men, but you are brilliant, my dear lord. You’re better than any man I could have ever imagined.”  
He chuckled as she called him ‘lord’ again and it reminded him of her first days aboard his ship.  
“Was that your first impression of me as well?” he asked playfully, and she chuckled.  
“Unfortunately, it took me a while to realize that.”  
He kissed her sweetly, before he grabbed her hand and eagerly suggested: “Come, let’s have some breakfast then.”

Once more, they practiced magic during their walk, and he noticed how good she was becoming at controlling the fire she was able to summon.  
“It’s because I’m so happy,” she explained. “It makes it so much easier to get into the right state of mind to perform magic.”  
Even Rumplestiltskin tried to summon the fire from a feeling of happiness, and was glad to notice that he could. It was nice to use magic from another emotion than sadness or anger.  
Later that evening, after they had had another picnic by the fire, they lay besides each other to look up at the stars and northern lights. There was no moon, and they could hear crickets chirping in the distance, making their surroundings even more relaxing than they already were.  
“It’s beautiful here, isn’t it?” Belle muttered.  
“Yes,” Rumplestiltskin replied in a lazy tone.  
“I could grow old here,” Belle admitted with a sigh. “Just you. Me. Tons of books. Lots of kissing.”  
Rumplestiltskin chuckled, noticing how she was only teasing him, but his eyes saddened as he thought of Baelfire. Would Baelfire like to live with him and Belle in a world like this? Where there was nobody else? He would surely hate it. He had hated the isolation they had lived in their entire lives. First because his father was a coward, and then because his father was the Dark One. His son would not be happy here, and Rumplestiltskin dreaded the day that he’d need to look for a place to settle down again. It just seemed like no world would ever be good enough for Rumplestiltskin, Belle and Baelfire combined. Or perhaps, if that wonderful world was out there, they just hadn’t encountered it yet.  
Noticing his sighing, Belle looked at him.  
“Rumple?” she asked softly, and as he turned his head to her, she continued: “Is something wrong? You seem distracted. Sad, even.”  
He shrugged. “I guess I don’t like not knowing my future,” he admitted. “Don’t get me wrong, I love being with you… but…”  
He grew quiet as he gazed up at the sky, and Belle continued: “You’re not complete yet,” she filled in for him. “There’s something missing.”  
Rumplestiltskin nodded, and it left Belle to wonder what it was that he was waiting for. As he remained quiet, Belle moved closer into his arms, and as they lay on the blanket to look up at the stars, Belle figured that she did not have to know right away. She would figure it out, sooner or later.


	34. The Spirit's Call

Even at night, it was wonderfully warm where they lay in the tall grass, the northern lights above them almost warming them as much as the sun would, and they were both feeling sleepy and completely relaxed as they gazed up at the night sky.  
Sometimes they would see a shooting star, or a bright yellow light dance among the other hues and colors in the air, but they kept quiet as they watched it together, completely mesmerized.  
Oddly enough, thoughts of their future, or of each other, completely left them, and their minds became completely blank in the moonless night, and they didn’t even stir when one white light approached them, first dancing in the night sky, locking their gazes on it, until it neared them. They could see its human shape, but they did not remark on it, and when it held out its two hands to them, they took hold of it without further thought, until they left their bodies behind and they were nothing but two glowing souls, like the star, floating through a world that was filled with love and warmth.  
It was as though time stood still, as though none of it was real and nothing had ever been more real at the same time, and for a moment nothing happened. Neither Belle nor Rumplestiltskin was able to tell how long their souls floated in the light, but when they heard a voice, it was as though their consciousness snapped back in action as well.  
“We have seen you a few times,” the white light said, and when they looked closer, they saw it was a young boy, no older than ten, with white hair and light-blue eyes, who was speaking as calmly as any wise adult would.  
Belle looked from the boy to Rumplestiltskin to herself, noticing how they were all wearing white robes – or perhaps it weren’t robes, but it was merely a light that clothed them, and it was surprisingly vague to watch, like it dissolved into nothing. As she tried to watch her hands and feet, it was like they weren’t fully there, like it was impossible to see her fingertips and toes, and she felt very lightheaded, as though she was just a moment from fainting. It took her the greatest concentration to keep her thoughts focused.  
Rumplestiltskin felt something similar, but his thoughts were way ahead of Belle’s, and he said: “So this is the magic in this world. But it’s not magic in a corporeal form. You’re in the lights.”  
The boy nodded and smiled, and Belle felt drawn to the boy’s lights, smiling warmly in return.  
“We are the magic,” the boy replied. “We are its love. We’re not just in the lights. We _are_ the light. We have been for thousands of years. And when the moon is gone, we can shine even brighter – and contact those that have not joined us.”  
“There are others?”  Belle wondered. “Other humans? On your world? We could not find any.”  
“There used to be,” the boy replied. “But they have left the physical world behind. It is what we are offering you too. A chance at happiness. At warmth. A chance to feel complete, loved, and to have everything your soul has ever yearned for.” The boy smiled warmly, and Belle returned that smile, walking over to him when the boy extended his hand to her.  
“No,” Rumple said weakly, and this made Belle turn her head to him. He was shaking all over, fighting the urge to give into the offer they had just been made. Without a moment’s hesitation, she made her way over to him.  
“What’s wrong?” she asked sweetly, and she grabbed for his hand, noticing how it felt like nothing but light, giving her a fuzzy feeling.  
“I can’t,” he said briefly, tears coming to his eyes, and Belle could not understand why he would give up on this bliss. She had never felt more love, more light and more warmth in her entire life. If there was such a thing as heaven, then it had to be in those lights above them, and Belle wanted to explore it with all her heart.  
“Dark One or not,” the boy said patiently. “You are welcome to stay with us. You won’t be able to hurt anyone ever again – nor will you ever feel the need to do so. Give up on your endless wandering and _come home_.”  
Belle wanted to give in, but as she noticed Rumplestiltskin move backwards, she hesitated as well. She could not leave him, could she?  
“Rumple,” she asked softly. “Why can’t we stay?”  
“My son,” he replied, his voice weak, but his resolution growing as he looked at Belle. “I can’t stay here. I can’t give up on my son! I won’t abandon him!”  
Belle’s mouth dropped and a frown formed on her face. Had she heard him correctly?  
“Your son?” she repeated, her thoughts becoming clearer the more she thought about what was holding them back, and less about what these spirits had to offer them. “He… he’s alive?”  
There came no response from Rumplestiltskin, he merely turned around and she saw him head back to the earth so far below them, and she realized what she had been about to give up.  
Perhaps life wasn’t as wonderful as she had felt in these few brief moments among the northern lights, but it was where she needed to be.  
“I’m sorry,” she spoke to the young boy, and as she closed her eyes, she felt herself return to her body.  
When she awoke, she was trembling, and she still could not fully shake off the feeling of warmth that had formed inside of her. Where it had been a delightful feeling before, it felt like a horrifying reminder now, a reminder of how horrible living was – how cold and lonely it felt, even when she wasn’t truly alone, and as she looked at Rumplestiltskin by her side, and saw the tears in his eyes too, she knew that he felt just as horrible.  
They hugged each other tight, their physical closeness the only comfort for their aching souls, and Belle cried softly, not completely certain what it had been precisely that had happened. Another part of her had no need to know. It just _knew_. Whatever she had left behind right now, it just wasn’t meant to be. What was meant to be, was what she was holding in her arms, and she pulled away to look at Rumplestiltskin.  
“Are you alright, love?” she asked kindly, and he pulled away from her, nodding slowly.  
“I am, sweetheart… I’m so sorry.”  
Belle took a shaky breath, gulping as she tried to compose herself. Looking into his dark brown eyes, she saw the pain he was feeling, and she put her hand on his cheek. “Why didn’t you tell me you were looking for your son? I thought he was dead.”  
“I never told you he was…” he said with a grim smile, but Belle shook her head.  
“Don’t toy with me like that, Rumple… You should have told me he was still alive. Don’t you trust me?”  
“Of course I do,” he quickly replied. “I just didn’t want to burden you.”  
“Sweetheart, I’d rather carry the burden with you than have you carry it alone. I’m here for you! If Baelfire is out there, then we can look for him together.”  
Rumplestiltskin kissed her in gratitude, even though there were still tears running down their cheeks. Belle took a shaky breath as their lips parted again and shook her head.  
“I don’t get how it’s possible though.”  
“He’s in a world without magic,” he admitted without any hesitation. “I haven’t been able to get there, but I will.”  
His determination silenced her, and she just looked at him, confused.  
“And you’re certain he’s still alive? You’ve been looking for him for so long…”  
“He must be,” Rumplestiltskin hissed, frowning. “Perhaps time passes differently there.”  
Belle wasn’t certain what to believe – was he right about finding Baelfire in a world without magic? Or had the boy died many decades ago? Belle did not know, but she was not going to question him about it. Not now.  
Looking up at the northern lights, more tears came to Belle’s eyes.  
“Let’s go home,” she whispered. “I want to sleep and put all of this behind me.”  
“Me too,” he whispered in return. “It will probably make more sense tomorrow.”

 

But even the next day, Belle remained aware of the aching feeling in her heart. Though she loved Rumplestiltskin very much, what she had experienced had been even stronger, and she was unable to forget it so quickly.  
She wasn’t the only one though, Rumplestiltskin also looked sadder than usual as he sat behind his spinning wheel, trying to forget the events of the night before.  
Belle just sat in bed, reading. Neither of them wanted to go outside, not even while the sun was shining so brightly and it was a beautiful summer’s day.  
As it was almost dinnertime, Belle took a deep breath and emerged from the cot.  
“This is ridiculous,” she muttered. “We’ve hardly exchanged more than a hundred words since yesterday evening. Is this how it’s going to be now? The both of us too depressed to even look at each other?”  
Her words broke his attention and he looked at her blankly, blinking his eyes twice.  
“We were so happy,” Belle sighed, a feeling of melancholia taking over her. “Do you even remember yesterday?”  
“Of course I do,” he insisted softly, and a small smile came to Belle’s face.  
“Is it just me, or does it feel like a century ago to you as well?”  
Rumplestiltskin smiled sadly as he nodded.  
“Yes. It does. I know it makes little sense.”  
Belle moved to her chair and sat down on it, her shoulders slouching as she sighed, and Rumplestiltskin got up from behind his spinning wheel as he looked at her. He leaned back against the table in front of her and took her hands in his.  
“I’m certain that once we go to another world, have more adventures there, we’ll be able to put this away in the back of our minds. But for now… perhaps it’s not so bad that we spend our days thinking about it. I’ve seen hundreds of worlds, but never before had I experienced anything like this. It was some of the purest magic I ever came in contact with.”  
Belle listened quietly, nodding. “If that magic was so good, why does it seem to leave such a big hole inside of me? I feel emptier than ever – and I shouldn’t. I have you, don’t I? I shouldn’t be feeling this way.”  
“I know, sweetheart. But don’t feel bad because of it. I feel the same way too. It’s simply the aftermath of the experience. It will pass, as all things do.”  
They both sighed at the same time, and as they noticed it, they suddenly looked up to each other and smiled.  
“We’ll get through it,” she said in a determined tone.  
“I know we will,” he agreed. “And in the meanwhile, we can take things slow. Laze about, reflect on life, that sort of thing.”  
He winked mischievously, and Belle giggled because of it. Leaning forward, she sweetly kissed his lips.  
“I’m lucky to have you,” she whispered.  
He tilted her chin to return her loving kiss, and he knew that the emptiness inside would pass again. She was already lifting her spirits, and she would continue to do so until this would all become a distant memory.  
“As am I, my lady,” he whispered in return. “Before we know it, life will be back to usual.”


	35. A Hermit's Life

Neither of them voiced it out loud, but they both agreed that they’d rather not go outside after the incident with the spirit. Least of all when night had fallen and the beautiful northern lights shone above them. Where those lights had before filled them with hope, they now filled them with an anxious feeling of loneliness they could not shake off. The feeling that an afterlife was waiting to get them, scared them a bit, even if the boy’s spirit had never been aggressive or dishonest with them.  
Inside, in their cabin, everything was safe and comfortable. Each evening, Belle read to Rumplestiltskin in their cot, and during the day he sat behind her as she spun straw into gold. After their experience, it had taken Belle several days to do magic again, but she was now returning to her previous level, and she was able to spin for hours in a row while Rumplestiltskin sat behind her, leaving wet kisses in her neck and hugging her close, turning her sad thoughts into bright ones, and Belle’s happiness was infectious. The more she smiled, the more he did as well, and three nights before they were to cross over, it seemed like their other urges were slowly returning as well.  
Belle didn’t bother to get dressed after she had dried herself off from her bath, and as Rumplestiltskin lay in bed, looking at the pictures of dragons in one of her books, it startled him to see her stand naked beside the bed. It had nearly been two weeks ago since they had slept naked in each other’s arms, and his heart fluttered at the thought that perhaps they would spend another night like that.  
Her mischievous gaze brought a smile to his face, and in an instant, he snapped his fingers to take off his own clothes as well, and as he turned back into his human appearance, Belle crawled on top of him, kissing him passionately as well as playfully.  
Rumplestiltskin wrapped his arms around her before he rolled her over, softly caressing her naked back with his right hand.  
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” he muttered in-between kisses, and Belle kissed him extra-long in response.  
“Yes,” she whispered breathlessly. “I hope you’re in the mood?”  
“Seriously, Belle, can’t you feel that I am?”  
He pressed his member against her hip, and she giggled softly as she realized how quickly it had grown hard for her.  
“I don’t see how I could have missed that,” she replied in an apologizing tone, and Rumplestiltskin kissed her neck in response.  
They continued taking turns in kissing each other’s neck and face, and let their arms warm each other, but as they both let out a longing sigh all of a sudden, they knew what the other was feeling.  
“It’s not the same yet, is it?” Belle whispered sadly, sitting up straight in bed, and Rumplestiltskin slowly followed her, placing his hand softly on her naked back.  
“Not yet. But… it’s progress none the less, don’t you agree?”  
She nodded in agreement.  
“I really can’t believe how this world is affecting us. I’d rather be affected by those pollen in Wonderland again.”  
Rumplestiltskin chuckled, the memories now something funny – even though he had been terrified in the moment itself. “You and me both, sweetheart.”  
They hugged each other close, and Belle tried to put the thoughts of their spirit-experience behind them. “Perhaps this is so difficult because it is so similar to what we experienced.”  
“What do you mean?” he asked softly.  
“Well… We felt very complete and happy there. And if we continue now, it’s going to be very similar to that. Perhaps that’s what’s holding us back a little. Perhaps we’re afraid it won’t be as good.”  
“Perhaps. It makes sense,” he agreed, stroking her hand softly. “But then what do you suggest we do now?”  
She smiled bravely, and her voice was determined as she replied: “We make our own happiness now. We can try and make each other feel complete. Perhaps it won’t ever be as good as what we felt up there, but that should not stop us. What we felt up there, was emotional comfort. What we can feel here – and only here – is physical pleasure. Perhaps emotional comfort is nicer. But I think that down here, we can feel _both_. At the same time. If we try. And we should go for it.”  
Her words inspired him, and he looked at her proudly as he saw the fire in her eyes.  
“So how far should we go?” he asked carefully. “I mean… You spoke of making each other feel _complete_ … I could not help but think of… proper intercourse.”  
He sounded timid as he spoke those words, bowing his head a little so his hair hid his eyes, but Belle tilted his chin sweetly so she could look at him.  
“Perhaps that’s what I was referring too as well,” she admitted breathlessly. “But at the same time we must remember that there is no rush. We can still complete each other any other day, if it’s not today.”  
He nodded as he watched her speak, her lips so full and moving so slowly that he felt his desire for her grow by the moment, and by the time she had finished talking, he pressed his own lips against hers, softly pushing her down to the bed again.  
She obliged him willingly, wrapping her arms around him as they kissed. He moved his hand lower to spread her legs for him, and as she obliged him, he took himself in hand to rub against her bud. Her moans drove him even madder for her than he already was, and he knew he was dripping on her because of it.  
Sometimes, he guided himself a bit lower, pushing gently against her entrance, and she moaned each time he did so, even if he could not get it in yet. To his own feeling, she was completely closed down there, and he did not think there was a way in there without hurting her.  
Instead, he continued rubbing himself against her bud, and she purred with pleasure, though she also opened her eyes and noticed the look of contemplation on his face.  
“What is it?” she asked softly, unable to hide her worried tone. “Aren’t you enjoying yourself?”  
He smiled, shaking his head. “Of course I am, sweetheart.”  
“But something’s wrong. I can see it.”  
“No, nothing’s wrong,” he insisted. “I was just thinking.”  
She looked at him curiously, before she continued: “I could have put a book in that frown of yours. What on earth were you thinking about at a time like this that it makes you look so worried?”  
He chuckled at her words and kissed her jaw before he admitted: “I don’t think you’re ready to go much further. Physically, I mean. You’re very closed. I don’t want to make the same mistakes I did in my first marriage.”  
“Mistakes?” she repeated, a bit of fear in her tone, and though he was ashamed of it, Rumplestiltskin decided to share this specific bit of his past with her. After all – perhaps she knew a way to make it all easier this time around. He had no desire to repeat the mistakes from his old marriage with Belle.  
“The first time with Milah didn’t go particularly well. She had never been with a man before, and I hadn’t been with a woman before, and so we didn’t really know what to do. She encouraged me to just… put it in there, even if it was too tight. So I did, and it sort of hurt us both.”  
Belle pulled an empathic face, imagining that it had been painful indeed.  
“It hurt her more than it did me, I suppose. For me, the pain was only temporary. She actually _bled_ because of it. I felt horrible, but I think she felt even worse. She didn’t let me touch her down there for over a week. Then, the second time, she bled again, just a little less. The third time too. By the fourth time – and this was over a month later, I must add – it was alright, but I know that she didn’t like it. I can’t blame her. I mean… I basically hurt her, not just once, but several times. Each time she told me that it would go better, but it didn’t. Not really. By the time I realized I had hurt her again, it was usually too late.”  
Belle nodded, understanding what he meant.  
“I don’t know much about this,” she admitted shyly. “But I have heard as well that it hurts for a woman’s first time.”  
“I’ve heard so too. But like… bleeding not once, but three times? I mean, that had to be a sign I was doing something incredibly wrong.”  
Belle shrugged. “Perhaps you’re just bigger than the average man?”  
Rumplestiltskin chuckled softly. “I’m flattered, princess, but I doubt that’s the case.”  
“Or perhaps she was just tighter than other women?” she suggested instead, and his breathing became a little harder.  
“I don’t think you’re any less tight, sweetheart. It’s like… To me… it’s like facing this door that is locked… and I’m using the completely wrong key and forcing my way in there. I can’t enter you right now, not without hurting you, that is.”  
Belle thought about it, looking down at his fully erect member against her stomach, and she let her fingers softly touch it.  
“It’s big,” she admitted. “Well, wide, I guess.”  
Remembering several nights earlier, she suddenly said: “A few nights ago, you prodded me with your tongue. That felt very nice, and your tongue isn’t as big.”  
He nodded slowly, and she continued: “Perhaps it’s just a matter of exercise? Start small, and work our way up from there?”  
Licking his lips, he got another idea. “Perhaps I can try and enter you with a finger too? It’s much smaller.”  
Belle tensed a little at that thought. “But your finger has nails…”  
“So?”  
“Well I don’t know how sensitive I am down there, but it feels pretty sensitive. Are you sure that won’t hurt it?”  
“Good point,” he replied, gnawing on his lip as he was deep in thought, understanding why that made her so tense. “Just the tongue to begin with, then?”  
She nodded, a blush on her cheeks as she realized what they were going to go for.  
After he had kissed her lips one last time, she whispered: “Good luck!”  
He chuckled, amused by the way she looked at him, her cheeks flushed red and her grin excited, and as she spread her legs to him once more, he felt like this wasn’t so bad. It didn’t take him long to forget about the earlier feeling of emptiness. The spirits were soon forgotten as he heard her moan in approval of what he was doing to her wet folds.  
Using his tongue to lick her entrance and rubbing her bud with his thumb, her breathing grew heavier, and when she came only a few minutes later, he was surprised by how easily she gave in to his pleasuring her. She was completely relaxed around him, and he could not say that he minded it.  
“Gods, Rumple, that felt great,” she panted, and he looked up at her a little sheepishly, his own cock twitching in lust as well. He couldn’t say that he felt confident that they’d gotten a little closer to going all the way – she was still very tight – but he knew that his patience would pay off in the long run, and so he eagerly returned to her arms, where he shared as many kisses with Belle as she desired.  
As they kissed, her fingers found her way to his arousal, and he moaned against her mouth as she rubbed him senseless. He was getting dull from waiting for his climax for so long, and she whispered to remind him: “My love, change your appearance…”  
When he obeyed her, it only took a few more moments of her tender ministrations and a loud grunt of his before he spilled his seeds on her stomach, and he felt completely relaxed as she kissed his face all over, almost as though she was showing her gratitude for his mighty deed.  
He didn’t particularly think there was anything mighty about what he had done, but he certainly loved the attention she bestowed upon him.  
Cleaning up the mess, he continued kissing her, remembering how it was said that women could go on for far longer than men could. It was time to put that knowledge to the test, and after he transformed back to his human self, he let his hand wander between her legs, softly teasing that spot he was becoming so familiar with. She was even wetter than before, and he let his index finger travel deeper down her lips, towards her tight entrance. As though she realized what he was about to do, she stopped their kisses, and she held her breath tightly, causing him to tense as well.  
“Sweetheart,” he whispered. “Relax.”  
“You’re about to shove a finger into my you-know-what for the first time. How am I supposed to relax about that?”  
He chuckled, finding her defensive stare a little amusing, and kissed her sweetly. Realizing that she wasn’t going to relax so easily, he moved his hands away and let them travel over her body instead, caressing her, teasing her until she arched her back in longing to him. This time, when he put his hand between her legs, he felt her take a deep breath – but she didn’t hold it. He slowly slipped his finger through her wet entrance, stopping when he felt how she clenched all around him. Hardly half his finger was in there, but perhaps it was enough for now. He slowly started rubbing her inner wall and felt her moan against his lips.  
“You’re in,” she remarked breathlessly, and he chuckled at her amazed tone.  
“Does it hurt?” he asked softly, and her smile assured him that she was alright.  
“No, not really. Just feels a little awkward.”  
“That’s alright,” he whispered with a naughty expression on his face. “We’ll get you used to it, little by little, until you scream for me to take you completely.”  
She chuckled at those words. “You seem to look forward to that day.”  
“Oh yes, my princess. And to all days that will follow.”  
“Naughty,” she scolded him playfully, and he chuckled as he looked at her, her blush and soft panting making her more irresistible than ever before.  
As he kept his finger inside her, he moved lower to lick her bud once more, and this time when she came, he felt her inner walls clench around his finger so tightly that he nearly turned shy in return. She cried out his name several times as he felt wave after wave take her over, and when she had come undone, he brought his finger to his mouth and sucked it clean, watching her watch him while she bit her lip.  
“We must try that again soon,” he decided, amazed by the way he had been able to feel her orgasm, and Belle just nodded in agreement, not knowing what it was that he had in store for her precisely.

 

The next days, they lived like hermits. It was nearly as though they were locked up in their cabin, and Rumplestiltskin pleased Belle whenever she so much as looked at him with a bit of lust in her eyes. She didn’t even bother to get dressed properly after a particularly pleasurable morning in bed, and just wore his red shirt while she read book after book, or made her way over to him to watch him spin.  
She drove him absolutely insane this way, and he grew aroused, several times a day. It did not go completely unnoticed to Belle.  
As he was spinning, his skin scaly as he filled basket after basket with gold, she sat down beside him on her knees, resting her head on his lap as she watched him.  
“What is it, my love?” he asked sweetly, stroking her hair tenderly, and she leaned into his touch.  
“I’m a little sad…” she said with a pout, and this confused him. After all, he had already made her come three times that day – and the day wasn’t over yet.  
“What’s wrong?” he asked with worry in his tone, and Belle smiled softly.  
“Well… You’ve made me happy several times today … But I haven’t returned the favor yet. And I want to.”  
He chuckled in amusement. “Trust me, sweetheart. The pleasure was not just yours, but mine as well. Besides, a man can’t come as often as a woman does.”  
“That hardly sounds fair,” she remarked softly, slowly letting her hand run up his inner thigh, and just from watching her gaze, he felt his pants growing tighter.  
“It also isn’t fair that a woman’s first time is usually so painful. But it is the way we are made,” he said wisely.  
As her hand reached the bulge in his pants, his breath hitched, and he was completely stunned as she opened the button of his pants and let her hand run down in it, gasping when her cool skin met his blazing member.  
He was aware of how close her face was to his arousal as he looked down at her, but it still took him completely by surprise when she licked him. He grasped the edge of the small stool on which he was sitting, her soft tongue against his member nearly causing him to fall off in delight.  
“Nice?” she asked him with a smile, and he pressed his lips closed as he nodded, closing his eyes as he felt her place sweet kisses all over his member.  
As Belle noticed the beads of cum escaping his member, she licked him dry, wrapping her lips around him. His moan startled her a little, and as she looked up at him, she saw how he was panting.  
“Sweetheart,” he said roughly. “Careful… I don’t think you want me to come in your mouth.”  
Belle wasn’t really certain what she thought of that idea, but if he wasn’t fond of that idea, then she would not try it. Nodding in agreement, she instead continued kissing him down there, running her fingers down his sensitive skin until she saw him gasp in anticipation.  
“Almost…” he breathed heavily, and as she licked him a little faster, and his moan warned her, she quickly pulled back while he came over his shirt. Before she had the chance to lick him clean, he cleaned up the mess with a wave of his hand, and he looked at her with nothing but appreciation and love in his eyes.  
“My sweet Belle,” he called out softly. “You are the most amazing creature I’ve encountered in all the realms I’ve traveled. Why aren’t you afraid of this old monster? I wonder that so often…”  
“Because you’re not a monster to me,” she said simply, once more resting her head on his leg as she looked up at him. “You’re my love, and you would never hurt me.”  
He smiled warmly, appreciating those words, and he let his hands run sweetly through her hair, determined to repay her in threefold – later that day.


	36. Crossing Stars

Belle and Rumplestiltskin felt a sense of relief as they watched the northern lights above them, glad they wouldn’t make it back to this world anytime soon, and they kept their eyes peeled on the waters around them while the Black Bones prepared the ship for the chase.  
“So…” Belle said quietly, gazing out over the deck as she sat on the large chest that stood by the wheel. “Another month over.”  
As Rumplestiltskin looked at her from his place by the railing, she smiled warmly.  
She had never felt this way for anyone and hoped that soon enough, they would find his son. She knew that once he was reunited, he would be _truly_ happy. He’d have everything he wanted – everything he needed – and they would be a proper family.   
“I was wondering,” she continued curiously as she got up. “What will you call this world?” She made her way to his side and let her hands rest on the wood. “I mean… You are the one that discovered it, and it doesn’t have a name yet. Doesn’t that mean you get to pick a name?”  
He kept quiet for a moment, before he suddenly said: “But you discovered it with me, princess. I’m certain that it makes the honor yours.”  
She blushed, but quickly shook her head. “I didn’t do much to get here. It’s your ship, your crew… your magic that got us here! I’m rather convinced the honor belongs to you.”  
He chuckled as he saw her cheerful expression, and suddenly pulled her closer by her waist, wrapping his arms around her as he looked at her, his eyes half-lidded as he tried to make a mental picture of the way she looked right now. She looked like an angel in her blue dress, and her beautiful smile inspired him to lean in closer and kiss her. It made his heart ache when she broke the kiss, and she whispered: “I think I wouldn’t be any good at picking a name. I’m rather uninspired. I doubt you’d want to call it ‘Meadow World’. Or ‘world where we had quite a terrifying experience with spirits’. Or ‘world where we spent a few days gathering much-needed resources’.”  
Looking at her teasingly, Rumplestiltskin purred: “How about ‘world where I spent many nights pleasuring you until you screamed out my name’…”  
Just as Belle was about to laugh, a skeleton that had walked by stumbled over one of the ropes on the deck and slammed down on the wooden floor, which caused his head to pop off and roll to one of the lower decks, where it was picked up by another crewmate. As Belle looked at the Black Bone in surprise, it seemed like the skeleton headlessly hurried to the lower deck in shame, where a few other skeletons had started playing catch with their latest acquisition. Rumplestiltskin just rolled his eyes as Belle softly giggled, and he brought her hand to his lips to kiss her.   
“Forgive my crew, princess, they have a tendency to eavesdrop.”  
She grinned. “Well I can imagine they don’t have much else to do aboard this ship. We should take them out some day. Hardly seems fair that I can go along on all the trips and they’re stuck here.”  
Rumplestiltskin noticed she was joking and smirked in return.   
“Now there’s a funny idea… But I’m afraid it’s not possible. They’re fueled by the ship’s magic. If they leave the ship, they die.”  
Belle bit her lip as she thought about that.   
“So they’re like… bound to this ship? Forever?”  
Rumplestiltskin thought about that for a moment, hesitating because there were of course exceptions, but those were too complicated to explain and so he simply nodded.   
Belle suddenly squeezed his hand. “Rumple! Over there!”   
An orange light could be seen in the distance, traveling over the waters, and before Belle could say anything else, Rumplestiltskin pulled her with him to the steering wheel, giggling excitedly as he transformed into his scaly self.  
“And you haven’t forgotten what we agreed upon earlier today?” Belle reminded him strictly, and he grinned in response.   
“Of course not. I promised I’d let you explore whatever you like, so if you want to touch the moonlight once we cross over, then you can. But if you burn off your fingers, I might laugh for a few minutes before I heal them back on.”  
Belle nudged his side as she rolled her eyes. “ _Tease._ If you truly deemed it dangerous, I know you wouldn’t let me do it.”  
He shrugged. “It’s just moonlight, nothing more. I doubt it would hurt you. Now hold on, I’m not letting this light get away.”  
As they began the chase, Belle did not tear her eyes away from the light, helping Rumplestiltskin with his steering as the ship combated against the violent waves beneath them.   
“Why does the light make the water so restless?” Belle wondered. “Is it trying to get away from it? Or is it attracted by it?”  
“I think the water is just confused,” Rumplestiltskin replied in a chuckle, holding Belle close to him as he let the ship take a sharp turn. “Or angry, perhaps, because the light dares to leave this world and lets a demon like me get away with it as well.”  
“Are you sure it’s nothing but a light?” Belle wondered, watching it with narrowed eyes. “Perhaps it’s a star?”  
“A star?” Rumplestiltskin replied softly, realizing she wasn’t just joking, but seriously thinking about this.   
“Yes,” Belle replied. “And when we catch the star, we cross worlds. Stars are known to fall. Perhaps this is just where the stars end up?”  
“But I’ve never seen one fall. It always seems to come to us from across the water…”  
Both Belle and Rumplestiltskin held quiet as they took another sharp turn, the light circling around the ship, but still evading its chasers with relative ease.   
“Well, perhaps the star has already fallen down days, months or even centuries ago, and it can only return home with the full moon…”  
“Home?” Rumplestiltskin repeated softly.   
“Close to the world where we’re going next. That must be its home – or at least its destination. That’s why we always fall down. The star returns to the sky – but we… we don’t belong there… so we fall down.”  
The imp frowned in amazement. “You’ve given this a lot of thought, sweetheart.”  
She smiled warmly. “It’s the only explanation that makes a bit of sense to me.”  
“I like it,” he replied. “And I feel like we must investigate this theory of yours in the future. But for now… Let’s focus on the chase…” He giggled. “Wouldn’t want to miss our ride!”  
Belle returned his giggle, and when the crossover finally began an hour later, Belle ducked underneath Rumplestiltskin’s arm and headed towards the railing of the ship, the light of the moon close enough to touch, and she felt more excited than ever as she extended her hand to touch it. Rumplestiltskin had followed her, and could not shake off the anxious feelings that perhaps something would go wrong – as unlikely as it would have seemed to him at first. He supposed that he was just worried about his beloved princess.  
He truly did not know what he’d do if he ever lost her.  
Taking one final breath, Belle tried to touch the light as it surrounded them, the surface of the moon looking as real as the ship they were standing on. However, when her fingertips touched the light, it was like the moon disappeared in the area around her hand, and instead she saw a black veil, her hand disappearing through it as she pushed it in a little farther, not really feeling any unusual sensation in her fingertips.  
Rumplestiltskin, watching with a pounding heart, suddenly pulled back her arm, causing Belle to turn to him with a questioning gaze in her eyes.  
His timing had been impeccable, for the next moment the light disappeared around them and the ship plunged down again. At least she still had all her fingertips.   
“Hold on, sweetheart,” he said as he lifted her up in his arms, and much sooner than usual, he jumped up from the surface of the ship as it was falling away from them. He used magic to slow down their freefall once more, but this time the water beneath them looked to be much further away, hardly visible at all in the darkness beneath them, and as Rumplestiltskin looked up, it seemed like the stars were a lot closer than usual as well. It had been a calculated move, something which would give them a bigger insight in Belle’s theory. Rumplestiltskin completely stopped their floating down, and instead hovered in the air with Belle in his arms, his gaze on the sky above them.   
“There!” he suddenly whispered, and Belle was just in time to see a shooting star before she lost sight of it. “They’re stars,” he muttered, blown away by this discovery. “How could I not have noticed before?”  
Belle shrugged as she held onto him, smiling sweetly. “Perhaps because you’ve always been so focused on where you were going? I bet you never really looked up or paused your fall like this.”  
“I didn’t,” he agreed softly, looking at her with a grateful look in his eyes. “Thank you, my love, for showing me something I’ve never noticed before. This is a rare gift to me.”  
She could not stop her smile, and she kissed him sweetly before she looked down, her grip on him tightening.   
“I can’t even see the ship from how high we are right now,” she admitted in a nervous tone, trying to keep from panicking. “Can we go down now?”  
He chuckled. “Of course, my love. To be honest, I’m not too fond of heights myself.”  
“Ah,” she replied teasingly. “Perhaps that’s the true reason why you usually don’t pause your fall like this.”  
Laughing, he kissed her cheek. “You are starting to know me too well, princess. Before you know it, you’ll be the captain, and I’ll be nothing but your humble servant.”  
She put her head on his shoulder, hugging him tightly as they descended further down, but when she saw shorelines in the distance, she narrowed her eyes.  
“Interesting…” she muttered. “Beaches… Or deserts? Right next to the ocean? Is that a palace in the distance? It looks huge. Those towers look like giant bonbons from up here.”  
“Ah…” A frown spread on Rumplestiltskin’s face. “I fear I know where we are.”  
“Fear?” Belle repeated softly, recognizing his worried tone as she watched the ship below them as it came back into sight. “Why fear?”  
“I have a friend in this world,” he muttered darkly, and Belle noticed how he tensed.   
“Something tells me that this friend is not someone you want me to know, is he?”  
Looking down at the ship, Rumplestiltskin could feel the shift in magic, and he tensed even more as he saw the flying carpet wander around his ship, and even worse: its owner already standing on the ship, looking up at Belle and Rumplestiltskin as though he owned the vessel himself.  
“Is that him?” Belle whispered as she saw the dark man on the deck, his eyes immediately locking on hers as she looked at the golden snake-staff in his hand. “Who is he?” she asked quickly, before their mysterious visitor could hear.   
“A very powerful sorcerer. One who is especially calculating and dark… I bet he would love to know my weaknesses,” he hissed.   
Belle gulped as she looked at Rumplestiltskin, and she saw that his gaze was hard and cruel, and it frightened her. She had not seen him like this ever before, and there was something terrifying about him.   
Without looking at Belle, he ordered her: “Whatever you do: don’t say anything. His name’s Jafar.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long while since I updated. Still have a long while to go before this story is finished. I also have lots of chapters already finished at the same time though, but it's not high on my priorities-list at this moment... Hope you do enjoy this chapter and have a lovely Christmas! Can't wait for 2016 to end, to be honest.


	37. The Royal Vizier

As they landed on deck, Rumplestiltskin roughly put her down, and Belle averted her eyes, staring at the floor as she heard the two men converse, her own shoulders tense as she realized that if her lover was warning her, then there was a genuine reason to worry.  
“Rumplestiltskin,” the man spoke in a dangerous tone, though it was a bit nasal as well and not as threatening at Belle had expected. “I was not aware you already had a visitor.”  
“Jafar!” The imp greeted him with a harsh giggle. “Visitor is not the correct phrase, dearie. She’s rather my…” He pressed his lips together as he thought, and clapped his hands together when he found the right description. “My prisoner!”  
During the short silence that followed, Belle dared to gaze at the man’s shoes. They had shining, onyx rocks that decorated the black leather, and the way the shoes curled up at the tip was unfamiliar to Belle. As the man spoke again, she quickly stared at her own feet instead.  
“She looks pretty comfortable to be a prisoner, if you ask me. Tell me… do all prisoners dress like that in the Enchanted Forest?” He gestured to Belle’s blue dress, and Rumplestiltskin looked at Belle when Jafar did, noticing her unease.  
“No,” Rumplestiltskin replied smoothly. “But it is what is fashionable – and what _I_ like to see upon her while she is in my company.” He giggled in amusement, though Belle could not imagine what he found funny. “Besides, not all worlds treat their prisoners as cruelly as they do here in Agrabah.”  
Jafar raised an eyebrow at that, but Rumplestiltskin continued, not noticing.  
He snapped his fingers as he considered something. “Perhaps prisoner is not the right word. What do you call those women that live with the Sultan?”  
“Concubines?” Jafar offered in his deep voice.  
“Yes, _that_ , concubines!” Rumplestiltskin cried out happily. “She’s like one of those.”  
There was a small silence as the strange sorcerer gave that some thought, and when he spoke again, he sounded rather casual. “You never showed any interest in the slaves that I offered you in the past. What makes her so special?”  
As the sorcerer started circling Belle, she kept her hands together and tried not to show her unease. It was obvious, however, that she was failing miserably. She looked at the snake-staff in the stranger’s hand, and even saw its eyes light up for a moment.  
“Well…” Rumplestiltskin hesitated, before he admitted in a grin: “She’s not a slave you see. She’s a princess. And don’t tell me that you don’t understand how I could see the allure of having a princess by my side.”  
Belle frowned, wondering what Rumplestiltskin was talking about precisely. She had not imagined Rumplestiltskin to tell anyone she was a princess. But now that he had, she knew that it had to do with what appealed to Jafar. Did this Jafar marry a princess as well? It had to be something like that.  
“She is very timid for a princess,” Jafar remarked. “I wish the princess I know had her manners. Last week, she set a Bengal tiger upon a visiting suitor.”  
“A suitor?” Rumplestiltskin replied, intrigued. “My, my, how long has it been? Last time I was in Agrabah, she was still playing with dolls!”  
“Seven years and three months since your last visit, Rumplestiltskin.”  
Belle wondered if any of the warmth she heard in the sorcerer’s voice was actually sincere.  
“I can see you could not wait for my return,” the imp said teasingly, wiggling his eyebrows. “Not many people count the days to see me again.”  
Jafar chuckled darkly. “I see you have not lost your sense of humor, Rumplestiltskin.”  
“And I see you are still a grand-vizier, Jafar? Agrabah looks as prosperous as ever.”  
As Rumplestiltskin waved towards the large city of Agrabah in the distance, and the lights that illuminated it, Jafar nodded.  
“I’m exactly where I want to be. You, more than anyone, knows that good things will come to those who wait.”  
“I’m not certain about that,” Rumplestiltskin replied as he raised his hands and shrugged. “I believe in the ‘good things come to people that go for it’-motto myself.”  
“Ah, and your princess is such an example?”  
The warm and teasing tone in the voice of Jafar, caused Belle to look up at him, and as their eyes met, she was surprised by how warm his eyes looked in that moment. However, she was quick to cast her gaze down again.  
“Actually, no,” Rumplestiltskin said impatiently, but there was agitation in his voice as well as he saw how Belle had started blushing.  
Jafar’s words could lure people into a false sense of security, and Rumplestiltskin would not have Belle fall for it. “The princess is one of those unexpected things that happened on my path and I could not let go. Princess!”  
Belle’s gaze snapped away from Jafar’s staff, and she looked at Rumplestiltskin curiously.  
“Go read a book,” he said impatiently. “I’d like to continue this conversation in private.”  
She wanted to stick around and learn more of this royal vizier, but she knew that Rumplestiltskin probably had a good reason for sending her away, and so she bowed her head respectfully and turned around.  
With her heart pounding in her throat, Belle made her way towards the door, but as she passed by Jafar, she suddenly felt his hand wrap around her upper arm, preventing her from going any further. As he remained silent, she looked in his eyes again, and before she knew what was happening, he had her hand in his, and pressed it against his lips. Her jaw dropped a little as she saw his flattering gaze, and she reminded herself not to stare.  
“It’s a pleasure meeting you, princess,” the sorcerer said in a friendly tone and she could not hear how Rumplestiltskin was grinding his teeth in agitation.  
Offering him a small smile, she withdrew her hand and curtsied him politely. It was something Jafar had not seen before, but he watched it with interest and bowed his head respectfully in return.  
As Belle made her exit, Rumplestiltskin wasn’t certain what to feel. He certainly did not trust Jafar, but he still was not sure if the man fell into the category of “enemies” either. Would he bring harm to Belle or was she of no interest to him? Rumplestiltskin would not take any risks.  
“I am curious, Rumplestiltskin,” the grand-vizier started as he walked to the ship’s railing, looking at the rising sun in the distance. “She doesn’t seem to be very hostile for one you took captive.”  
“I got lucky,” he replied briefly, joining Jafar by the railing.  
“So it would seem. She looks happy.” Jafar kept quiet, gazing out over the ocean, and Rumplestiltskin knew that something was on his mind, even though he had never understood the man.  
“If you had a concubine,” Rumplestiltskin began. “…would you not keep her happy?”  
There was more silence, and when the grand vizier replied, it was clear that there was hesitation in his tone.  
“In the past, I would not have cared for anyone’s happiness but my own…”  
“And now?” Rumplestiltskin wondered, truly intrigued by his answer.  
“Now I know that karma will make things even,” Jafar replied with a sigh, and Rumplestiltskin chuckled.  
“My my… Sounds like you’ve grown soft, Jafar!”  
Turning his head, Jafar raised an eyebrow, smirking. “You think that I wasn’t soft the previous times we met, Rumplestiltskin?”  
This made the Dark One narrow his eyes, trying to figure out what he was talking about. It had been decades ago since their first encounter. Jafar had not aged. But how old was he exactly, and why was someone who was capable of as much dark magic as he so soft all of a sudden? It made little sense.  
“Well, I believe you must be tired from your trip here,” Jafar concluded. “You best get to your princess to get some rest. I insist you visit the palace in the evening. I will alert the Sultan of your presence and we’ll have a banquet in your honor. Please, bring your princess along. I am quite certain that princess Jasmine will appreciate her company. It is not every day that we have interesting guests from such a far-off world.”  
“It would be our honor,” Rumplestiltskin said politely as he bowed his head, though he hated the prospect of it.  
“Oh, and take some of those berries with you… strawberries, I believe they were called? The Sultan loved them so much.”  
“I certainly won’t forget.”  
As he let his staff hit the floor in a single beat, the carpet suddenly flew towards him and laid itself down on the deck so Jafar could step on.  
“It was a pleasure, as always,” the grand vizier said slyly. “Until tonight!”  
Rumplestiltskin watched with a bitter look how Jafar flew over the seas to the palace in the distance, the sun slowly rising in the east. He knew he had some explaining to do and sighed as he headed to the cabin.

 

 

As the door opened, Belle stopped her nervous pacing and she let out a relieved sigh when she saw it was Rumplestiltskin.  
“Sweetheart,” she said as she rushed to his side. “You look stressed! What is it that makes you so on edge?”  
Rumplestiltskin took her hand in his, stroking it gently and remembering how Jafar had kissed the precious skin he was touching.  
“Oh, Belle… The Royal Vizier is the most powerful man in Agrabah – the most powerful man in this world. His power exceeds that of the Evil Queen.”  
“But it does not exceed yours, does it?” Belle asked in a worried tone.  
Rumplestiltskin shrugged as he let go of her and made his way to the bed. “Not entirely… But it’s possible. It’s like he’s surrounded by a cloud of dark magic, everywhere he goes. Invisible to the naked eye, but suffocating to those with magic in their body, like me. He knows things that others don’t. Remember the magic mirror I showed you?”  
Belle nodded as she remembered it from her first day aboard.  
“Well… He is capable of magic like that as well. He can watch anyone from anywhere, and it creeps me out, especially because I do not know what it is he _wants_ from me. I’ve never known it.”  
Rumplestiltskin started pacing, and Belle watched him, feeling helpless.  
“My love,” she called him carefully. “What has he done that has left you so scared of him?”  
Rumplestiltskin paused and looked at her, his gaze betraying that he only now realized how afraid he was, and he gulped and shook his head.  
“Nothing. He has done nothing, Belle, but keep his secrets from me. I am certain – _certain_ – that this man’s darkness equals or even exceeds my own! And his magic… it’s huge – perhaps even greater than that of all Dark Ones combined…”  
The princess gulped as well and she sat down on the bed, still looking at him, seeing that there was more he wanted to tell her.  
“He knows about Baelfire – why I’m travelling the worlds – and I’m so afraid he’ll stop me. Even if his words are kind, I still sense this darkness within him, and I fear that if I trust him – truly trust him – for one second, he’ll rip away the things I love. My ship, my crew, and you! I can’t even show my human form while I’m on this world now! He’ll think of me as weak, I’m sure of it!”  
He desperately plopped himself down on the bed by Belle’s side, taking his head in his hands. “Oh Belle, I fear that if he learns how much I love you, he’ll steal you away from me. We’ve both seen that he can be quite charming. And who am I to stop him then? I don’t even know if I’m a match for him. Perhaps this was what he was after all along.”  
Belle put her hand on his knee and smiled gently.  
“Sweetheart, no one is going to steal me from you. No one has my heart like you do.”  
He looked into her eyes and she smiled as she saw how afraid he was.  
“I’m not leaving you,” she assured him firmly, taking his hand to squeeze it. “Let him watch. Let him see how much I love you, and how I’ll never leave you.”  
“Please, Belle,” Rumplestiltskin begged. “Do not speak of love while he can hear it. Do not say these things, for it might make you a target. As long as I do not know what he wants – and I fear I might never know it before it’s too late – we must be vigilant. Please – while we are in Agrabah – let us be careful. I love you, and I know you love me – but let us not sell it like that, not when he can see. Let them think you are my concubine – a woman with whom I spend the night and with whom I have a great time – but not… not the love of my life. I fear it might already be too late, but if it isn’t… we must try to sell it like it is not what it truly is… do you understand?”  
Belle eventually nodded, fearing that perhaps Rumplestiltskin was right. But everything her love had told her, had only made her more curious about this Jafar, about this royal grand vizier that even puzzled the all-powerful Dark One.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I post this chapter as the end of an era is about to begin. The final episode of the season tonight also means the final episode with Emilie de Ravin as a regular - and I detest the idea of going on with OUAT if Rumbelle is no longer part of the story. (Not that Rumbelle has pleased me the past seasons, it's been quite dreadful in many ways.) 
> 
> Luckily, we'll always have fiction! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. (Please, no spoilers in the comments.)


	38. Jasmine

As Belle woke later that afternoon, she immediately remembered Rumplestiltskin’s earlier warning. While they were here, there was the possibility that Jafar would be watching them, and she hoped that Jafar wouldn’t come to any conclusions if he saw how they slept together – each of them embracing the other so tightly that it had to be a loving scene to witness.   
As she focused on his steady breathing, she realized that he was still sleeping, and so she kept her eyes closed for now, waiting for him to wake.   
When he did, she felt him pull himself away from her.   
“Wake up,” he said in his high-pitched, impish voice, not in the softer, huskier voice he usually woke her with in the mornings. “We have a banquet to prepare for.”  
Belle opened her eyes and sat up straight, following him out of the bed.   
“What shall I wear?” she asked in a timid voice. She figured that it would not be dangerous to have Jafar hear that.   
“You shall dress as the princess you are,” Rumplestiltskin said as he whisked himself in an outfit Belle had not seen before. She thought it was rather hideous, but she did not remark on it. After all, she knew that it was only part of his mask. He would try and appear as the Dark One people thought he was – not as the good man she had come to know.   
“Hold still!” he instructed her, and as she did as he told her, he whisked her into her yellow ball gown. She figured that he had whisked it onto her because he would not want Jafar to see her undress. Would she really mind that much if Jafar saw her though? After all, seeing was not so bad, as long as he did not touch her or dishonor her in another way. But perhaps it was Rumplestiltskin who was feeling protective, possibly even selfish in regards to that.   
“Now, go read something. I have business to attend to!”  
As Rumplestiltskin whisked away, Belle wondered what he was actually doing. Was he on deck? Or was he in Agrabah? Either way, she immediately went to the cupboard and pulled out a book, wondering if it was right to go into the cot again to read, or if Jafar would find that too comfortable for her.   
So instead, she sat in her chair as she read, but her thoughts were distracted. She did not really register the words, but instead wondered how their visit to the royal palace would go.

 

 

 

The sun had almost set by the time Rumplestiltskin appeared by Belle’s side again, and he immediately held out his hand.   
“Are you ready?” he asked briefly, and as she nodded and put her hand in his, he squeezed it firmly. “Hold your breath!” he warned her before purple smoke engulfed them.  
Only a few moments later, they appeared in the entrance hall of the palace, and Belle gasped as she saw the huge marble pillars that led up to a ceiling that was so high that Belle could hardly see the drawings on top.   
Some guards drew their swords as they saw them, but as they realized it was Rumplestiltskin, they quickly sheeted their swords again, and they stood aside.   
Rumplestiltskin offered Belle his arm, and she took it to allow him to lead them into the throne room. As they reached the door, a guard cried out: “The Dark One Rumplestiltskin and his princess!”  
The throne room itself was even bigger than the entrance hall, and in the distance, Belle could see a huge table, with three guests already seated. Two of them stood up, and Belle recognized Jafar, wearing a large turban and dressed in nothing but black and red, and a young girl, wearing an ocean-green outfit that did not cover her stomach at all. Belle wondered if that was how a princess would dress in this land. It was, after all, much warmer here than it had been in the other worlds, and while it had been pretty cool aboard their ship, it was quite warm inside the palace.  
The third person was a tiny man with a massive white beard, dressed in a creamy white outfit, and he turned around eagerly in his chair, watching Rumplestiltskin and Belle as they approached. She knew it was the sultan from the ridiculously huge jewel in his hat.  
Belle wondered if Rumplestiltskin felt as nervous as she did, and she was glad that her skirt covered her knees, because she knew they were trembling.   
“Rumplestiltskin!” the sultan cried out in a shrill voice, suddenly jumping up from his seat to approach them, and Belle wasn’t certain how to react. When Rumplestiltskin halted, so did she, and as he bowed before the leader of the country, Belle curtsied him.  
Watching Belle, the sultan giggled. “What a funny way to great someone!” he exclaimed. “Jasmine, did you see that?”  
“I did, father,” the girl said pleasantly, and her kind voice comforted Belle. She did not mock Belle for being different, and when she approached the guests as well, Rumplestiltskin looked up at her briefly, before turning to the Sultan.   
“It has been too long!” the Sultan said as he eagerly shook Rumplestiltskin’s hand. “I have missed your magic tricks, and so has Jasmine! But I can imagine that she’ll be more interested in your partner this time. A concubine princess of yours, or so Jafar told me?”  
Belle blushed a crimson red as the Sultan called her such, and Jasmine noticed it, and her dark eyes met Belle’s reassuringly.   
“I’m not certain about the customs in the Enchanted Forest,” Jasmine began gracefully, folding her hands in her lap. “But if she is your first and only partner, Rumplestiltskin, would that not make her your wife and not a concubine?”  
“Ah, yes,” Rumplestiltskin said slowly, a pleasant grin on his face as he watched the exotic beauty before him. “But she is not my first, and we have not married, hence she is not my wife.”  
“But she is your only?” Jasmine asked curiously, and almost immediately her father scolded her.   
“Jasmine! That is no proper thing to ask our guest.”  
“Nor does it seem appropriate to call her a _concubine princess_ , even if those were Jafar’s words,” she replied sharply to her father while she looked at Belle with a warm smile. “I think we all need to reconsider what is _proper_ or not.”  
Belle knew immediately that she liked this young girl, who seemed to understand what it was like to be a princess in a man’s world.   
“My name is Jasmine,” she introduced herself politely. “What may I call you?”  
“Belle, your grace.” She curtsied once more, and this time Jasmine even mimicked the movement respectfully, even if it looked silly while she wore those puffy pants.   
“Come and sit by me, Belle,” Jasmine said with a bright smile as she beckoned Belle to step closer, and she glanced to Rumplestiltskin, who nodded once in approval. Belle followed the princess to the dining table, and she spotted many edible things on it that she did not even know.   
As Jasmine sat down at one head of the table, the Sultan sat down at the other. Jafar took a seat to the right of the Sultan, and as Belle caught his curious glimpse, she quickly looked at the table again.   
Before Rumplestiltskin sat down, however, he cleared his throat and said: “In the Enchanted Forest, one would not dine with such a gracious host without bringing a gift. As such…” He held out his hand and let it engulf in purple smoke. Belle could hear Jasmine gasp in surprise. When the smoke cleared, he held a golden bowl of strawberries and the Sultan started clapping excitedly.   
“Wonderful! Marvelous, Rumplestiltskin! Did you see that, Jafar?”  
“Yes, of course, my Lord,” Jafar replied dryly, smirking as he watched Rumplestiltskin place the bowl among the rest of the banquet that was laid out for them. Even if Jafar was capable of the same magic, it was clear that he never indulged the Sultan like that.   
As the Sultan stood up to fill his plate with over half the strawberries Rumplestiltskin had brought, Belle heard Jasmine sigh softly, and when she turned her head she saw how the young princess had a sad smile on her face. Belle could not help but wonder if the girl disapproved of her father, and as she looked at Jafar, she even saw how he was looking at the old sultan with a mixture of sadness and regret in his eyes.   
She figured it had nothing to do with the strawberries, but with a behavior they had often witnessed, but weren’t fond of. As they all helped themselves to some of the foods on the table, and the Sultan was already claiming the pot of sugar as he threw spoonful after spoonful on the strawberries, Jasmine noticed Belle’s hesitation.   
“Do you need some help, princess Belle?” she asked softly. “I can imagine many of these fruits are as strange to you as strawberries once were to us.”  
Belle smiled warmly, glad with the offer of assistance. “To be honest, I hardly recognize anything besides some of the fruits… Well, I can see that that’s meat, though I do not know which kind, and I was wondering if you have something like potatoes or bread, because I do not see any.”  
“It’s camel. And we do have bread,” Jasmine said, sitting up a little higher and looking out over the table. “Jafar,” she called out, and the grand vizier looked up curiously. “Have you seen the bread?”  
It startled Belle a little that Jasmine would ask such a powerful dark wizard for such a simple thing, but he even indulged her and looked around his side of the table, suddenly standing up to lift the basket of bread.   
“We have slaves for that,” the sultan muttered, strawberry juice dripping into his beard, but Jafar ignored him and slowly walked over to stand in-between Jasmine and Belle, holding the basket still for them, waiting for them to take their pick as they both took a bun. Belle realized that her hand was trembling a little, and Jasmine noticed, and then looked up at Jafar, seeing something which seemed like regret in his eyes once more.  
“Thank you, Jafar,” she said, and he smiled weakly before he returned to his seat, sulking over his own plate while the Sultan asked – or perhaps ordered – Rumplestiltskin to tell him the story again of that time he had landed his ship in a world with nothing but dragons.  
As Rumplestiltskin began his story, his voice high and entertaining, both princesses listened while they continued eating, but just as he was about to describe what had happened when the first dragon had discovered his ship, Jasmine’s curiosity got the better of her, and she whispered: “Have you heard that story before?”  
Belle shook her head and turned to look at her, smiling. “No, first time.”  
Though Jasmine hesitated, Belle saw that there was more that she wanted to know, and she waited for the question to spill from her lips. “Have you been with Rumplestiltskin for a long time?”  
Belle was glad that the table was so long, because that was what allowed them some privacy while Rumplestiltskin continued his story, and she shook her head. “Not that incredibly long, actually… This is our fifth world together – so five months.”  
“And you did not know him before that time?” Jasmine continued curiously.  
Belle shook her head. “No.”  
Jasmine sucked in her bottom lip, gnawing on it as she thought about the best way to ask this, and suddenly continued: “So how exactly did eh… your arrangement with him take form? With you being a princess and everything, I mean…”  
Belle gulped, realizing that what Jafar had told Jasmine was different from the truth, and she did not know what to tell Jasmine now.  
“Well… It was eh… Unconventional,” Belle admitted, keeping her voice down. “To be honest, I was terrified, but… he’s been very good to me.” She offered Jasmine a reassuring smile when she noticed the princess’s worried frown. “He took me from my father and my world rather suddenly, but he gave me the time I needed to warm up to him. It has not been as dreadful as you are probably imagining. I am rather happy now.”  
She did not dare to say how happy she actually was, because she could not remember ever being happier – but that wasn’t something that Jafar needed to know, and so she kept it from Jasmine as well.   
“You’re travelling from world to world with him,” Jasmine sighed softly. “I must admit that that sounds very appealing. I’ve been stuck in this palace since my birth. Perhaps I’d willingly become a concubine princess too once someone kind would offer to take me away…” Realizing how silly that sounded, she added: “But I’d want to love him first, of course. And he would need to love me too. Wouldn’t want to be in a loveless relationship.”  
Belle smiled again, finding the girl very charming company to talk to, and as Rumplestiltskin finished telling the story of the world full of dragons to the Sultan, Jasmine cleared her throat.   
“Father,” she said. “May I stretch my legs with princess Belle for a while?”  
The Sultan nodded and waved his hand impatiently, motioning for them to leave his sight. He was far too amused by Rumplestiltskin to bother with having the two princesses near.   
Rumplestiltskin’s gaze caught Belle’s, and she smiled warmly, assuring him that everything was alright, and Rumplestiltskin had to admit that he rather had Belle out of the room with Jasmine, than inside in the company of Jafar.   
The vizier looked at both Belle and Jasmine, almost with longing, as though he wished he could escape the Sultan’s presence as well, but he knew that he was not in a position to do that right now.  


 

 

 

What surprised Belle about the palace at night, was the fact that it still looked like such a light place. There were oil lamps lit everywhere, and the warmth inside was so comfortable that it was difficult to imagine that the world outside was dark and cold.   
Jasmine saw Belle looking around curiously, and smiled.   
“It must be different from the palaces in your kingdom,” Jasmine said eagerly, wondering what life had been like for Belle.   
“Indeed it is,” she replied softly. “Ours are much darker – also the stones with which we build our palaces… Sometimes there are marble floors, but not walls and pillars like here… It’s all so very white! Our palaces tend to be… brown and gray and very dark most of the time.”  
Both Belle and Jasmine remained silent for a while. It was rare for both of them to meet someone who was so very much alike, yet at the same time that did not make it easier to talk to one another.   
“If you could choose,” Jasmine suddenly wondered. “Between your old life and your new life with Rumplestiltskin… would you go back?”  
Belle chuckled, shaking her head. “No, I wouldn’t go back. I’d stay with him. I’m having a wonderful time with him, really. It’s an amazing adventure so far.”  
Jasmine seemed happy to hear that.   
“Father’s been wanting me to marry lately,” she explained. “I turned eighteen a few months ago, and he thinks I should marry before the end of the year, saying that it’s my age and such.”  
Belle recognized her own situation. Though she had been older, she knew how much her father had hoped she’d marry Gaston, way before she was ready.   
“Has your father found you a suitor yet?” Belle asked politely.   
Jasmine shrugged. “He’s been inviting princes from several nearby kingdoms. Some my age, others a bit older… None that I particularly fancy. Most of them arrogant princes who think they own the world because they will inherit a kingdom, and they’d like to inherit Agrabah as well. I just don’t trust them, to be honest. I don’t trust them to love Agrabah as much as is needed to rule it properly.”  
Belle listened patiently, understanding the princess completely. “I have not seen much of Agrabah yet,” she admitted. “None of it, to be honest. But people have it good in your kingdom, I take it?”  
Jasmine shrugged, feeling a little awkward all of a sudden. “I wouldn’t really know, since I’ve never left the palace… But it’s prospering. Crime rates have halved compared to the time before Jafar was the grand vizier.”  
As Jasmine mentioned that name, Belle tensed up a bit as well. Could Jafar be an advocate for peace in this world? Or had he somehow fooled the princess and her father? Perhaps now was the time to figure out all she could about the vizier   
“He is a rather imposing figure,” Belle said. “He’s like a royal advisor, I take it?”  
Jasmine nodded. “To be honest, without him, the country would probably be falling apart. My father… he’s not the wisest of men. He has a good heart, but he’d spend half our yearly budget on buying cakes for his friends if he’d feel like it, or painting the entire palace golden. Jafar makes sure my father doesn’t do anything too silly – or too extravagant.”  
“You seem to respect him a lot,” Belle observed, hoping she did not offend Jasmine, and as the princess turned her head to look at Belle, she feared for a moment that she had, until Jasmine smiled.   
“Is he very much like the dark sorcerers in your fairy tales?” the young princess wondered. “I understand that he looks dark – feels dark – but he’s not a bad man, trust me on that. He saved my life. More than once, even.”  
Belle licked her lips, narrowing her eyes a little as she wondered what Jasmine was talking about, and the princess took Belle’s hand to lead her to a balcony, where they both sat down on a marble bench that felt so smooth underneath Belle’s hands that it hardly felt like stone at all.   
“When I was born, my father showed me to the people when I was just a month old, from one of the balconies of the palace. Apparently Jafar – who was already a Royal Vizier back then – was also present. Some people believed that a first-born princess meant bad luck to the kingdom, and there were bandits present, criminals who tried to kill me and my father. Jafar used his magic to protect us, and took me from my father’s arms while my father ducked for cover from the arrows. Jafar blinded each of the bandits that dared to shoot at us, with me still in his arms, or so my father has always told me. He says it’s where I get my lust for adventure. He thinks that because I went through that as a baby, I now feel this thrill at the thought of a little danger.”  
Belle could not help but smile, amazed by that story. If Jafar had a secret agenda, then it appeared he did not want the throne. After all, if he did, would it not have been easier to let the bandits kill Jasmine and her father?   
Seeing Belle’s smile gave Jasmine the courage to continue, and she added: “When I was eight, I was… spoiled. A brat, really. Father gave me clothes, dolls, jewelry, pets, anything a girl could want... I had baba’s to tell me stories whenever I wanted to hear one, but no education at all. Father said that it wasn’t necessary, that it would be up to my husband later on to lead the country, and that it would be enough for me to be a pleasant young woman. Not that I was truly that pleasant back then. I had my own temper tantrums, was bursting with energy and frustration, because even though I had my father’s love, I had no one else’s, and he was a very busy man.”  
Belle looked at Jasmine as she told her all of this, definitely seeing how the girl found it easy to tell long stories – perhaps something she had learned from all her baba’s then, even though Belle did not know precisely what a baba was.    
“Jafar noticed that I was being… well – _ruined_ , in a way. He decided to teach me how to read and write, how to do math, he even taught me cartography… I was terrified of him at first. He always scared me – like I could feel his power – his dark magic, you know… It gave me nightmares as a child, even, that he would use his power against me and my father and take over, but… he never did such a thing.”  
Belle gulped, wondering if perhaps there had been a prophecy in those dreams, even if Jafar had always treated Jasmine right until now.   
“One night when I was eleven, as I was writing a long essay for him, he fell asleep in the chair he had been sitting in, and while I continued my work, I noticed he was having a bad dream, moving, his hands grasping the chair, his head jerking from side to side – it was obvious he was terrified – and he woke with such a gasp that it even startled me a bit. But from that moment on, I wasn’t scared of him anymore.”  
Belle couldn’t quite keep up, and shook her head slightly. “Why not?”  
Jasmine smirked wisely. “Because it was in that moment that I realized that I shouldn’t fear a man who could be so terrified himself. It was wiser to fear the things he feared.”  
“What did he fear?” Belle asked, hoping to learn something valuable.  
The princess shook her head. “He didn’t tell me. Not really. I asked him if he was alright, and he said that it were some old demons that were haunting him. Anyway, he stopped teaching me a few months later. He still brought me books though, asked me to read things through, and a few times, he still tested my knowledge by asking me questions about the books I’d read. He even made sure I had access to the palace’s library – even though it had always been forbidden for women to go there.”  
Belle’s eyes grew large. “Women can’t go to the library?”  
“Most women can’t read. And those who can, should not read books written by men, for men, or so many people think – my father included.”  
“But not Jafar,” Belle said slowly, even admitting to herself that that made her sympathy for the man grow. How bad could he truly be if he wasn’t opposed to Jasmine learning new things?  
As they sat under the moonlit sky, they both looked out over the palace gardens, the warm breeze that came from the ocean bringing a smile to both their faces.  
“You said he saved your life on several occasions?” Belle continued, remembering the princess’s earlier words, and she noticed how Jasmine suddenly looked a little ill at ease, shifting uncomfortably.  
Belle suddenly put her hand on Jasmine’s, quickly assuring her: “You need not tell me if you do not want to…”  
“No,” Jasmine said softly, putting her other hand on Belle’s, nodding bravely. “I do want to, it’s just… It’s… it’s a secret.”  
Belle’s cheeks turned red, figuring that perhaps this was where she’d find out something useful about Jafar, something that would help her protect herself and Rumplestiltskin from him.   
“I won’t tell anyone,” Belle said, even if she knew she might have to tell Rumplestiltskin about it if it was truly important. She did not like lying, but her distrust for Jafar was too great to do otherwise.  
“Well…” Jasmine looked away, and she lowered her voice, making sure no one could hear. “I… I wanted to run from the palace… about a month before my last birthday…”  
“Why?” Belle wondered softly.  
“Because I did not like the way my father was talking about marrying me off to some prince… I made it to the outer ring of the palace, where I’m not allowed, and I met someone there…” Jasmine’s tone grew more serious, hardly any emotion at all in her voice, as though she was protecting herself. “He was handsome, charming, and he seemed to fancy me… I… I really fancied him too…”  
Belle could not help but wonder what had happened. She thought it likely that they had fallen in love, and that Jafar had stood in the way. She could see him doing that, for some reason.   
“I told him I wanted to get out of the palace, but he told me that it would be a bad time, because there were too many guards present. He said he’d help me.” Jasmine took a deep breath and wiped a small tear from the corner of her eye, before she cried out: “Oh, how I wanted him to help me!” Shaking her head fiercely, she continued: “I was terrified of going out in the streets, but the thought I wouldn’t be alone made me feel so safe and secure, and we agreed to meet the night after. He told me to bring a bit more jewelry, so we could buy a camel from the money we’d make of it and leave Agrabah as soon as possible…”  
Jasmine sighed, and Belle wondered why the story seemed to fill the princess with so much pain now.   
“I was over the moon. Humming to myself all day. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier than that, and… I suppose Jafar noticed that something was horribly off about me… Later that night, I made my way to the outer ring again, this time in the dark, and I met the boy in a place where no one could hear us, still within the palace walls. He checked the jewels I had brought, said it would be enough, and then…” She stopped for a second, before adding, a little annoyed: “Well, he kissed me.”  
Confused, Belle tilted her head. “And you didn’t like it?”  
“I did at the time,” Jasmine muttered darkly. “But then… he said he was leaving, and he tore my headband off, wanting nothing but the jewel that was on it, and he told me to keep quiet and give him my earrings, unless I wanted him to rip them off. He pulled a knife on me, and with trembling hands I obeyed him.”  
Belle’s eyes grew large, not having expected that turn of events.   
“He was a street rat… Just a thief who completely charmed me and fooled me, and I had let him steal from me. Not just my jewelry, my crown jewel, but my first kiss... I felt guilty – I was terrified – and I really didn’t know what to do, so I took off my earrings, but before I could hand them over, Jafar knocked the boy back with magic – and after he hit the wall, he fell unconscious to the floor.”  
Guilt still seemed to be eating Jasmine up, as she wiped another tear from her eye, and Belle did not let go of the girl’s hand.  
“I was angry with Jafar,” she said softly. “For having seen all that, and I yelled at him that he had no business following me around – _me_ , a princess – and that I didn’t want to stay in my father’s palace one day longer – but in fact I was just… too ashamed to face my own mistake.”  
Jasmine gulped and grew quiet again, but Belle was too curious to keep quiet for long.   
“What did Jafar do?”  
Jasmine smiled softly. “Nothing,” she replied. “He let me rage, and then he stepped closer to me and put his hands on my shoulders, and he said that I should not blame myself for falling for the thief’s deception. And he promised not to tell my father about it, and to make sure that my father would not rush me into a marriage I did not like.”  
“Then what did you do?” Belle asked, still waiting for the moment where Jafar would emerge the big villain of the story, but it did not come.   
“I hugged him and cried – grateful for his words and actions. I know it made him uncomfortable.”  
As Jasmine chuckled, so did Belle, remembering how uncomfortable Rumplestiltskin had sometimes been when she had cried. Men were strange like that.   
“Rumplestiltskin always reminds me a bit of Jafar,” Jasmine suddenly said. “They’re both powerful – intelligent – with dark magic as their ally… Much older than they look… But… they’re also kind to me. Heroes, to me at least, even if I can imagine they can be villains to others, like Jafar was to that boy.”  
“What happened to him?” Belle asked, figuring that this had to be the moment that Jafar did something horrible then.   
“Sold him as a slave to a neighboring kingdom, where he’ll need to work in the mines until the day he dies.”  
“And that’s not cruel?” Belle had thought Jafar would use a bit more violence, but apparently that wasn’t his style then.   
“The boy threatened me with a knife… Maybe he would have killed me once I had given him the earrings, I don’t know… I think we’ve been soft on him, but since Jafar became the Grand Vizier to my father, we’ve maintained order without executing any death penalties.”   
That was even more surprising to Belle.   
“Your father changed the law?”  
Jasmine shook her head. “No, he wants to keep it in place, just in case… But Jafar has made sure criminals are handled in an efficient way, without needing to turn anyone into a hangman or a torturer. He is rather enlightened.”   
It was strange to hear Jasmine describe Jafar in such a way, and completely at odds with what Belle had thought of the royal vizier. Rumplestiltskin, for some reason, seemed to believe he was the devil incarnate.   
“Is something wrong, princess Belle?” Jasmine asked kindly. “I notice your frown.”  
Looking up at Jasmine, Belle shook her head. “Nothing is wrong,” she assured her new friend warmly. “I am really intrigued by all that you’ve told me of this world so far.”  
“I’m curious about yours too!” Jasmine said warmly. “Please, do tell me of your past! I want to know what your life was like before you met Rumplestiltskin!”   
Belle happily indulged Jasmine, and told her about her life in her old palace, about how she was locked away until her 21st birthday too, about how her father wanted her to marry Gaston, and how Rumplestiltskin had appeared during that pleasure cruise, and how he had offered her a way to escape that life. Jasmine was eagerly hanging onto each word, but the girls suddenly looked up when they heard two coughs behind them.   
Turning around, both Jafar and Rumplestiltskin stood on the balcony, watching them.   
“I’m afraid the Sultan decided to retire for the night,” Jafar announced, and both Jasmine and Belle got up from the marble bench.   
“We must be off, dearie,” Rumplestiltskin told Belle, holding out his arm for her to take, and she obliged immediately, though she shot a warm smile to princess Jasmine as well, who happily returned it.   
After Rumplestiltskin and Belle bade them goodnight, Rumplestiltskin whisked the both of them out of the palace, back to their ship, and Jasmine smiled as she saw the puff of purple smoke disappear again.   
“Did you enjoy yourself, princess?” Jafar asked in mild interest, and the princess nodded eagerly.   
“She is so much like me, Jafar,” she said eagerly. “Exactly like me! Just older… Locked in a palace all her life, with a thirst for knowledge and affection this royal palace life cannot give to us!” She sighed sadly. “I will surely miss her when she is gone again next month. But you will let her come over more often before that time, won’t you?”  
Jafar smiled gently at the princess’s bubbly enthusiasm, and he nodded. “Of course. In fact, she is coming over tomorrow already, to keep you company during the day.”  
“Already?!” Jasmine asked excitedly, following Jafar as he led her to her room.   
“Yes. Remember those bandits in the southern caves?”  
“The ones led by Ali Baba?”  
Jafar merely nodded in reply. “Your father just decided that it would be up to Rumplestiltskin and myself to face them tomorrow and bring them down once and for all.”  
There was hardly emotion in Jafar’s voice as he said that, and Jasmine noticed that, looking at him with a slightly terrified expression. She thought he looked paler than usual, and she gulped because of it.  
“You will be alright, won’t you, Jafar?”  
As Jafar stopped in front of her bedroom door, he slightly turned towards her. “You seem worried,” he observed in confusion.   
“I am!” she answered, not seeing any need to hide that. “Sending you and Rumplestiltskin to that madman! What if something happens to you? Who knows what on oaf the next grand vizier would be! You do realize that you’re one of the best things that has happened to Agrabah in the past seven centuries?”  
Jafar seemed completely surprised by those words, and was speechless for a few seconds, bowing his head in a humble gesture.   
“You flatter me.”  
Seeing how she had left him speechless, left Jasmine a little ashamed of herself. She had no idea why she was blushing so fiercely now, but she was.  
She toned it down a little as she continued, her voice soft and quiet as she said: “Just… just be safe, alright? Make sure you return… And Rumplestiltskin too… I think Belle would be heartbroken without him…”  
Jafar smirked, pleased to hear those words, and he bowed his head once more. “Good night, princess Jasmine.”  
She smiled and bowed her head as well, echoing her own goodnight wishes. “And sleep well, Jafar.”


	39. A Robber's Den

“But how can she feel this way about him?!”  
Rumplestiltskin did not understand at all, pacing in front of their bed back aboard their ship, not looking at Belle as she braided her hair while she looked at him from underneath the sheets.   
“She really does trust him,” Belle said once more, slowly, but objectively. “She said crime rates are lower than ever and that Jafar has made sure there aren’t any death sentences anymore.”  
Frowning, the dark imp sat down besides Belle, sulking about this news.   
“Doesn’t make sense. He’s a dark wizard.”  
“So you’re in favor of death penalties then?” Belle asked, strictly raising one eyebrow as she looked at him.  
Rumplestiltskin sighed and shook his head, not replying to her question as he lay down in bed, gazing up at the wood above him.  
Belle sat up on one elbow, not taking her eyes off him, tracing circles over the bare skin of his chest with her index finger. As it started to tickle him, he took her hand with his own and looked at her, a small smile on his face.  
“What about this quest the sultan has in store for you and Jafar?”  
Rumplestiltskin shrugged. “Gives me an excellent chance to get to know him better.”  
“Or for him to get to know you,” she remarked wisely.   
Grinning, Rumplestiltskin winked at her. “You’ll see tomorrow how that plays out.”  
“You’re not scared then?” Belle checked.  
“Not at all,” he replied. “It’s just some robbers.”  
Belle bit her lip, not so sure about that. “Robbers… yet the sultan is sending his royal vizier and the most powerful dark wizard he knows to fight them… Are you sure that’s all there is to it?”  
“We’ll see tomorrow,” Rumplestiltskin replied, not phased like Belle was, and she quickly put it out of her mind too, leaning in to kiss his cheek, then to kiss his lips, but he didn’t seem to be particularly in the mood for any cuddling or kissing, and Belle wondered if it was because there was a possibility Jafar could see.   
“Dim the candles,” she said softly, and as Rumplestiltskin wondered what was going through her mind, he did so, surprised when he felt her crawl on top of him in the darkness. He could vaguely see her outline when she pulled her nightgown over her head, the white cloth a little easier to see than the rest of her as she tossed the night robe to a corner of the bed, and he gulped heavily as he realized she was completely naked on top of him now.   
Part of him was afraid Jafar could see her – even in this darkness – and he sat up to protest, wrapping the blanket around her.   
“Princess, you might be watched,” he whispered, but Belle just pushed him down onto the bed again.   
“In this darkness?” she whispered in return. “Let him watch then. I am your concubine princess, after all…” She grinned as she leaned down, kissing him, and though he was hesitant at first, he soon was unable to resist his beautiful and brave Belle. He whisked his leather pants away with magic, and could feel her eager hands reaching for his member. Just the thought of his princess being so unashamed in front of himself and perhaps another man that was watching, made him grow hard in an instant, and he gasped when she started jerking him off.  
He wanted to warn her that he was not in his human skin and would not last for very long, but once the first precum started dripping from his shaft, she let go of him, leaving him itching for more.   
She kissed him passionately, and he embraced her tightly, wondering why she had stopped. He could feel her slightly sweaty body move against his, finding it very warm as well, but only sexier because of it.   
He wondered how she could find him alluring in this way, while his skin was so scaly and he looked so ugly, but he figured that perhaps that was the reason why they were doing it in the dark – so she wouldn’t need to look at him. Perhaps he would have been hurt by that conclusion in other circumstances, but the way she was kissing him, betrayed how she did not feel repelled by him at all, and for that he was incredibly grateful.   
As she kissed his neck and sucked on his earlobe, he felt another shudder of appreciation for her, and his cock was starting to beg for release already.   
He flipped her over more roughly than he’d usually do, but she did not protest, in fact, she moaned shortly in approval, wrapping her legs around him. Feeling how wet she was for him, he shuddered and gasped, and taking his member in his hand, he started stroking her sex with it, eliciting more of those moans from her.  
Part of him now wished that Jafar was listening, and he gently tried to enter her, but there was no getting in – even if she was willing, she wasn’t ready for him yet. Instead, he decided to try something else. He continued rubbing himself over her clit, up and down and from side to side, finding a pace she liked until she was unable to stop her soft moans, and when she called out his name, he knew he’d brought her to her release.   
Bringing a finger to her entrance, he gently prodded her, finding how her walls once more clenched around him, too tight to let in anything bigger for now, even if she was dripping wet.   
Taking her legs as they were still wrapped around him, he lowered them underneath him and forced them together. Belle complied without protest, and waited for him to make his move. He put his member in front of her sex, pushing her legs closed a little firmer until her flesh surrounded him, and thanks to how wet they both were, it wasn’t hard for him to feel the delightful friction as he bucked his hips to feel his cock slide further between her legs. Now it was his turn to moan as he started thrusting between her legs, first slow and aware how Belle was holding her breath, curious about what he was doing, and later on completely amazed as he picked up the pace and rhythm.   
Her name became like a mantra on his lips, and he moaned louder than she had, not caring either if Jafar could hear. He wanted him to believe that he was fucking his Belle – and when she started moaning as well, his heart skipped another beat. He wasn’t really fucking her – he hadn’t even entered her – but she was playing along, and rubbing her hands over his back, squeezing his sides, kissing his neck, moaning as though he was pleasuring her as well – and it was a delightful lie that he wanted to believe as well in that moment.   
When he spilled himself between her legs, he thrust a few last times, fiercer than before, his moan almost a roar instead, filled with a male pride he had not realized he had.   
Belle was panting a little as well, and almost immediately relaxed her legs underneath him. He could feel how she was slightly trembling, but she flipped him over and started kissing a trail from his neck to his stomach, and as he realized she wanted to lick him clean, he feared she would not like it at all, and even without a wave of his hand, his cum disappeared.   
However, that did not stop Belle from kissing and licking his soft member from underneath the sheets, gently squeezing his balls as she did so, and his breathing didn’t get a chance to settle back down to normal this way. And while he was unwinding from his peak, she was already preparing him for another one. In a matter of minutes, he was hard again, and he noticed how she came back up again.   
This time she was the one who rubbed his member against her sex, and he could feel how she positioned her entrance over him, trying to move down on it, but after a minute of trying and failing, she gave up, just moaning as she sat on him, her clit rubbing against his shaft.   
It sounded as though he had entered her, but they both knew it was not the case. Yet both were willing to play the game as though it was true. As she started bucking her hips, he could feel her wet sex against his, and they moaned in unison, Rumple soon unable to stop bucking against her as well, both rougher with one another than they usually were. As she cried out in ecstasy, Rumplestiltskin’s male pride got another boost, and soon he was coming all over his own stomach.   
Panting as he tried to catch his breath, he did not notice how Belle had moved off him, not until he could suddenly feel her tongue around his member, licking him clean.   
Gasping, he almost found the sensation too much to think clearly, but as he realized how dreadful he had to taste to her, he quickly cleaned up the majority of the mess which had been left on his stomach. Belle moaned, however, as she tasted him, and he could not help but wonder if it was an act or not. Could his taste really be that exciting to her? He wanted to believe it.  
Gods, he didn’t even know if that was important. His Belle was amazing, that was as much as he knew, and he loved her with all his heart. It pained him to be unable to voice that right now.   
“Are you pleased, my Lord?” she asked as she came back up from underneath the sheets, her body leaning over his, and he chuckled, knowing that she was brilliant for calling him that.   
“Aye, princess,” he replied roughly. “You still feel as tight as the day I met you…”  
It wasn’t even a lie, he figured, and as he heard her chuckle, he realized that she found this game amusing as well.   
“Can I please you in any other way, my Lord?” she offered, her lips only an inch from his, and he found himself unable to resist her, pulling her near to kiss her so fiercely that he nearly squeezed her lungs out as he pulled her against him.  
She only returned that fierceness by embracing him just as tightly, and they were both left moaning while they kissed each other, the vibrations of his voice sending shivers down her spine, and she gasped when she felt his fingers near her clitoris, and could sense how he was grinning from ear to ear as he tried to look at her in the darkness.  
As he suddenly sat up straight, Belle still on top of him, leaning against him, he started rubbing her clit a little harder and she bit her bottom lip, moaning as she rested her head on his shoulder, not having expected this.  
“Come for me, princess,” he ordered her, his other hand moving over her bum until it found her slit as well, and he pushed a finger in, causing Belle to moan even louder. Moving his finger inside of her, he could feel how Belle was loosening a bit, and as he pulled out, he soon went in with two fingers, realizing that she was more than capable to handle it at this moment.   
“My Lord,” she whimpered, begging him to finish it, and he moved up the speed with which he rubbed her with his other hand, until he felt her clench around his fingers and cry out his name.  
He pulled back from her and gently pushed her to the side, where she fell into the mattress besides him, her body hot and sweaty from so much attention of him, but her breathing relaxed and happy as well.   
He doubted he’d grow hard again for her within the hour, but gods, she was amazing and would have totally deserved it. It had been a marvelous act of her, and he wished he could reward her with sweet words and kisses. It ached a little that he was unable to do so, and as he cleaned them both up with magic, he pulled up the blankets again, not minding that they were both naked, and he pulled Belle close towards him in a possessive move, but she did not mind, instead she brought her bum to his front so that they’d be a perfect match, and he stroked her curves in the darkness, kissing her neck as he lay behind her.   
Belle relaxed, happy to get this attention from him while it lasted, and she knew he had enjoyed the game as much as she had. Strange how they had both feared being heard by Jafar the day before, but today their desire for one another had bravely overcome that fear and decided not to let anyone phase them.  
To hell with Jafar – they were still the masters of their own fate.  

 

As morning came, Rumplestiltskin was the first to wake, and he sat up a little to look at the beauty in his arms. The day before he had woken her with a rather shrill voice, and even though it had been an act, he did not wish to wake his marvelous lover in the same way today.   
Leaning over her, he gently kissed her cheek, and this woke her. She looked at him with such sweetness in her eyes that Rumplestiltskin could do nothing but return it, and he said softly: “Come, I must bring you to the palace. While I’m out, you’re to stay with princess Jasmine.”  
Though Belle hated parting with Rumplestiltskin, she rather looked forward to spending a day with Jasmine, and she nodded.  
After Rumplestiltskin dressed them both with magic, Belle wearing her fine golden dress again and he the ghastliest outfit in his collection, they had a brief breakfast together.   
As he whisked them both to the palace, the guards fetched Jafar, and they waited in the entrance hall, their heads held high, not caring at all if Jafar had watched them the night before or not.   
When the royal vizier finally appeared, it did not seem like he had. He didn’t look too relaxed, his shoulders tense as he neared them both, but it was clear that he had other troubles on his mind, and he bowed slightly before the two of them.   
“Glad to see you’re so punctual,” he complimented Rumplestiltskin. “Princess Belle, I will let the guards escort you to princess Jasmine’s royal chambers. She is having her breakfast as we speak and would very much appreciate your company.”  
Belle nodded willingly, and as two guards waited to take her with them, she pressed a quick kiss to Rumplestiltskin’s cheek. “See you later,” she whispered, and he grinned, pleased that she showed him such affection, even in front of Jafar. It was rather different from how Milah had always been angry or ashamed whenever he’d shown anyone he was her husband, and to have Belle so willingly kiss him in front of others was a boost to his fragile ego.  
Jafar didn’t seem to mind the display of affection, though he looked a little curiously at Belle as she left the room, before he turned to Rumplestiltskin. He wasted no time in getting to the point.   
“My carpet should be able to fly us to the caves of these robbers. Are you sure you do not need anything else?” He gave Rumplestiltskin an investigating look, noticing he wasn’t carrying any weapons on him.  
“I’m the Dark One, dearie,” Rumplestiltskin replied, rolling his eyes. “If I need a weapon, I summon it.”  
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Jafar said darkly, summoning two scimitars and handing one to Rumplestiltskin. “Rumor has it that these thieves are a match for everyone – even for warlocks and witches. Take this, just in case.”  
Rumplestiltskin didn’t understand, and he frowned as he took the weapon, wondering why he wouldn’t be able to summon a weapon later on. He joined Jafar as he headed to one of the towers of the palace and entered his work chambers in the highest room. There were many racks with books and scrolls against the walls, but Rumplestiltskin found the absence of magic potions a little disappointing. He had expected more of Jafar. There was also a large mirror, which Jafar used to show Rumplestiltskin the desert they’d be visiting.   
“We need to be in those caves,” he said, pointing them out. “Yet the mirror will not allow us any sight of what is within those caves, not from this distance. We might be able to glance inside once we are nearer.”  
Rumplestiltskin found that hard to believe, and gently nudged Jafar to the side, standing in front of the mirror and attempting to change the scenery into what was inside – yet it felt like something was blocking him.  
“I have tried that already,” the vizier said, sounding a little impatient. “It won’t work.”  
After several moments, Rumplestiltskin gave up as well, and he had to admit that he was intrigued.   
“Well then…” he said slowly, clearing his throat a little. “If whatever is blocking us from gazing inside will also block us from fighting them inside, perhaps we need to lure them out?”  
“Easier said than done,” Jafar said. “Who knows how easy it is for them to hide out in those caves. They might be able to camp there for days – weeks – months perhaps. We have no idea what’s in there. We sent some guards last month, spies a few weeks later. They did not make it back.”  
Though Rumplestiltskin did not like the sound of that, he was not afraid.   
“Well, obviously they were no match. But I doubt that we’ll find anything in there that we can’t handle. Dark magic is our ally, and there is little that can beat it.”  
Jafar looked a little uncomfortable as Rumplestiltskin said that, but nodded regardless. He was not going to argue with the Dark One on the subject – not now.

 

Soon they were off to the desert, the two dark wizards sitting rather awkwardly besides each other on the flying carpet, not knowing what to say to one another. The sun was blazing hot, even to Rumplestiltskin and Jafar, who could somewhat magic away its effects.  
After about half an hour, Rumplestiltskin finally spoke up, his voice impish and full of mischief.   
“Are we there yet?”  
Jafar rolled his eyes. “Halfway there.” He tried to ignore Rumplestiltskin’s disappointed sigh, but it was hard to do so on such a small flying carpet.   
Another minute of silence passed before Rumplestiltskin asked, trying to sound genuinely interested: “Did you enchant this carpet yourself, or pick it up somewhere?”  
“Enchanted it myself,” Jafar replied briefly, but in complete honesty.   
Rumplestiltskin was quite intrigued, not completely familiar with this kind of magic himself and he tilted his head curiously. “Where did you learn to do that?”    
Reluctant to reply, Jafar shrugged. “Used to have another carpet with similar features ages ago. I figured out myself how to make them when I became Grand-Vizier.”  
“Ah, so you have several?” Rumplestiltskin continued, already wondering if he could have one of those or strike a deal to learn how to make one too.   
“Yes, to go with each of my outfits,” Jafar replied sarcastically. “ _No_ , of course I don’t have several when I only need one. Wouldn’t want one to fall into the wrong hands.” His eyes lingered rather long on Rumplestiltskin, and Rumplestiltskin gasped and put his hand weakly on his chest, clearly offended.   
“ _My_ hands?” he asked in a high-pitched, childish voice, dropping his mouth on purpose. “Why, what makes you think _I_ would abuse this magic? Am I not faithful to Agrabah?”  
“Only because I know your secret,” Jafar muttered, turning his gaze away from Rumplestiltskin again, and it were those words that caused Rumplestiltskin to tense up. It was no secret to him that Jafar knew this, but just the reminder of it seemed rude to him, and he wondered if a threat was to follow.  
But Jafar kept quiet, the short reminder all he had intended to give, and Rumplestiltskin crossed his arm and pouted like a five-year-old, not so happy to be on this mission at all anymore.   
When the flying carpet eventually soared down into a canyon, Jafar and Rumplestiltskin quickly got off and took a firmer hold of their scimitars, looking around them to see if they could spot anyone, but all was clear.  
“They are most likely inside,” Jafar said quietly. “They raid during the nights and probably catch up on sleep during the days. Besides, it’s too hot to sit out here.”  
“Not to mention the deadly scorpions all around these rocks…” Rumplestiltskin muttered, stepping on one and then trying to wipe his blood-stained boot on the sandy ground. “Wouldn’t want to sun-bathe in this area, let me put it that way.” He raised his scimitar a little and nodded. “Come, let’s get this over and done with. We go in – we kill them – we head out. Problem solved.”  
Jafar looked a little alarmed at those words, taking a hold of Rumplestiltskin’s arm before he could move away. “Kill them?” he asked, his voice emotionless but his eyes betraying that inside, he was feeling a whole string of emotions.   
Confused, Rumplestiltskin narrowed his eyes. “Yes. Didn’t the Sultan ask us to ‘take care of them’?”  
“He did,” Jafar quickly replied, raising himself up to his full height, a stern expression on his face as he refused to lose face. “But we no longer believe in death penalties.”  
Rumplestiltskin could hardly believe what he was hearing, and took a step closer to Jafar, bringing his eyes closer to his, and he noticed how Jafar was sweating. The Royal Vizier looked more uncomfortable than ever, and it just felt _off_ to Rumplestiltskin.   
“Are you a dark wizard or a _fairy_?” he asked sharply, pronouncing the last word with all the disgust he felt for fairies. “To be honest, right now I believe you’re much too soft to be either of them.”  
Rolling his eyes, Jafar walked by Rumplestiltskin, heading towards the cave.   
“Fine. Kill what you want, but the blood will be on _your_ hands, not mine.”  
As they entered the cave, they were soon spotted by two rogues who had been standing a bit further inside the cave, staying out of the sunlight, and they immediately pulled their scimitars. Before they were able to lift their weapons, they were flying through the air and hit the wall behind them, falling unconscious to the ground.  
Both Rumplestiltskin and Jafar had raised their hands at the same time to send them flying, and as they noticed this of one another, they exchanged an amused smirk and continued.   
In the next room, some of the bandits were sleeping, though a few were awake and playing a game of cards. Without hesitation, Rumplestiltskin pulled his weapon, deciding to have a little fun with the sword he had been handed. He liked the practice, but Jafar did not share that sentiment. Jafar sent them flying before Rumplestiltskin could reach them, content the moment they were unconscious. But he was not fast enough to take them all out, and three bandits on the other side of the cave managed to cry for help and alert the others of their presence.   
“They know we’re here,” Jafar muttered, and Rumplestiltskin giggled.  
“You say that as if it’s a bad thing. Let them come, we can handle them, easily!”   
Still holding his scimitar, Rumplestiltskin looked at Jafar, who suddenly took a few steps closer to Rumplestiltskin as he spotted something. He wasn’t sure if it was a trick of the light or not, but the Dark One’s skin seemed to be changing.   
“Your face… your hands…” he pointed out, his mouth dropping a little.   
As Rumplestiltskin raised his hands, he suddenly noticed how his scales were disappearing and making room for normal, human skin. Realizing what this could mean, Rumplestiltskin tried to do magic, but it seemed like his magic was weakening.  
He clutched his chest as he felt a sharp pain go through him, and without saying another word, Jafar pulled Rumplestiltskin with him, heading back to the entrance, back to where they had come from. As they heard men shouting in the caves behind them, they started running, not willing to see how lucky they’d be without magic. The carpet was waiting for them where they had left it, and they were relieved to see it still flew as they got on.  
Looking behind them, they saw a dozen more robbers exit the cave, looking for them, following their tracks in the sand, but they would not find them anywhere.  
The ache in Rumplestiltskin’s chest subsided, and Jafar looked at him as his scales slowly returned, and he let out a mildly relieved sigh.  
“Good thing your skin betrayed the trap we were walking into,” Jafar said, and though Rumplestiltskin did not like to be seen in his human form by anyone other than Belle, he was glad that Jafar had noticed it before they’d gotten into a further fight.   
“Something in that cave is blocking all magic…” Rumplestiltskin said slowly, glad to feel his powers returning as well, though he was still rubbing his chest to lessen the ache.  
“How’s your heart?” Jafar asked quietly, but Rumplestiltskin waved it away.  
“Fine, fine. Don’t mind that.”  
Jafar looked as though he wanted to continue on the subject, but then changed his mind.  
“The question is – is whatever is blocking the magic something they can move along with them, or is it something that is stuck in that cave…” Jafar licked his lips and continued: “If it’s the first, we might not be up to the task. But if it’s the second, it’s only a matter of drawing them out of that cave…”  
“Or!” Rumplestiltskin said quickly, lifting his finger. “We collapse the cave! All of it!”  
Jafar frowned, clearly not fond of that idea. “They’d all die.”  
Rolling his eyes, Rumplestiltskin shook his head. “Seriously, they’re robbers and thieves and apparently they’ve been harassing the borders of Agrabah for long enough. This is not the moment to develop a conscience.”  
Insulted by that remark, Jafar clenched his jaw and bit his tongue, refusing to say anything in response to this.   
“What is it that you’re not telling me, Jafar?” Rumplestiltskin wondered, bringing his head closer to him as he looked into his eyes. “Have you grown soft, or were you always this way?”  
Jafar really did not like that remark, and he ordered the carpet to fly further down, landing in the middle of a desert, where he got off and stepped away from Rumplestiltskin’s intimidating presence.   
“Does the word _karma_ mean anything to you or the people from your world?” Jafar suddenly asked, his question seemingly coming out of nowhere, and he clenched his fists besides him as he looked at Rumplestiltskin, bracing himself for whatever ignorance the Dark One would reply with.   
The question really did come out of nowhere for Rumplestiltskin, who wondered what it was that Jafar was trying to tell him.   
“Karma – like what you give is what you get returned,” Rumplestiltskin slowly acknowledged. “It’s a concept I’m familiar with, but I can’t say that it’s something I particularly believe in.”  
“Then you’ll never understand.”  
Jafar paced in the desert sand, trying to figure out how to return to the palace with good news for the Sultan, but there wasn’t any he could give.  
“I for one wish we had killed those men that tried to attack us in the cave,” Rumplestiltskin muttered. “Then at least we would have killed a dozen of those robbers. Now we have accomplished nothing at all and the next time we go, they’ll see us coming.”   
Something about the words Rumplestiltskin said, sparked some inspiration in Jafar, and he looked up with a small twinkle in his eyes. As he knelt down, he suddenly drew a circle in the sand, and as he moved his hand over it, he created a round mirror, reflecting their faces as Rumplestiltskin was also looking into it.   
“Perhaps it might be better for us to try and gaze inside without actually walking in there,” the vizier said wisely. “Now that we are closer, it might be easier to catch a glimpse. Perhaps our magic combined shall be enough!”   
Rumplestiltskin hesitated for a brief moment, wondering if it would be, but he was willing to try. It was the only option they had. As he held his hands above the mirror, just like Jafar did, their reflection changed into one of the caves, where some of the men were patching up others that had been injured during the short invasion of the two dark wizards.  
Though most of the men wore plain robes, one of the men stood out. He was bald and taller and broader than the rest, carried two swords on his back, and wore a crown with a red jewel, as well as many rings and necklaces, making him look like a king of thieves.   
Both Jafar and Rumplestiltskin looked at the crown at the same time, and felt the same thing.   
“It’s the jewel,” Rumplestiltskin said, and Jafar nodded.   
“Question is, does the fool know of its power or is he unaware of it?”  
There was no way they could tell from just observing the thieves and so they planned something else.   
“We wait until it’s night… See if they go out to rob again… Then we take them all down,” Rumplestiltskin said. “In the meanwhile, we try and count them, see if we can get a good idea of the amount of thieves we’re dealing with.”  
“What if they don’t come out though?” Jafar replied. “Or what if the leader comes out, still wearing that jewel?”  
“We keep our distance,” Rumplestiltskin said. “Apparently the jewel’s effect has its limits too… If we don’t get close to it, we keep our magic. And the moment we notice our magic is weakening, we get as far away as we can.”   
“Sounds risky…” the grand vizier muttered. “I must say that I’m not too fond of this plan of action…”  
“Neither am I… But it’s all we’ve got for now,” Rumplestiltskin said in a determined tone. “We should return to those mountains now… If some of those thieves are patrolling the region, we might be able to take them down before nightfall…”

 

  
Art by kamdensl


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